For The Good Of The One written by Foxcomm
by MistressWinowyll
Summary: Spinoff of For the Good of the Village written by Foxcomm. In the final battle with Akatsuki, Naruto is finally allowed to return home, only to find the one reason he truly had to do so no longer waiting. Between heartbreak and the lies, he can't take it and leaves. But the world isn't one that would just allow such a thing uncheck as it starts to spin out of control.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Notes: The following is a fan based parody of a fan based parody. Naruto is owned by Kishimoto Masashi and published by Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shonen. Please support Naruto with it's official release.**_

 _ **So, to start, I, the author of this off shoot, have been talking to my Mistress for a while about possible ways that 'For the Good of the Village' could go. Through out the series, I made thoughts and suggesting to Mistress Winowyll and sometimes wrote detailed thoughts and how it should got. On the suggestion from my Mistress, I am putting it into a story. And at her request, I am uploading everything into a file. And instead of just keeping it archived, I thought I would spread it out. So, the following is the first to last. These ideas are not entirely up for grabs, but ask Mistress Winowyll and if she approves then you have my permission to use them if you want to add them to a story you are writing.**_

 _ **Author's Notes from MistressWinowyll: Greetings, everyone. I have had the pleasure of speaking with Foxcomm, the author of this spin off and asked if he would be interested in having others read the ideas he has sent me. He thought it was also a good idea so here we are. I am glad to see my work has inspired him to write his own version of my story, and I am glad to help however I can.**_

 ** _One thing I felt that must be said is this: His story is his story. I have not influenced his writing in any way other than what is currently read in my canon version. What events take place that are outside of my written works are his and his alone. Kind of like how Get What You Deserve is complete different than my Get What You Wanted series._**

 ** _Thank you for reading._**

 ** _Your Mistress._**

—oo000oo—

 _ **The first takes place while Naruto is in prison back in 'For the Good of the Village: Transitions Ark', Chapter 1. Naruto is in the cell and an extra person comes down with Jiriaya and Tsunade. Enjoy.**_

—oo000oo—

 **For The Good of the One**

 **Written by Foxcomm**

 **Prologue**

"Hello Mister Uzumaki Naruto, my name is Orochimaru, and I would like to talk to you?"

"Yeah, about what? And why are they all glaring at you worse than me?"

"Ah that, its a long story I may tell you some time. As for about what, its about you and the injustice taking place, here and now. May I continue?" Orochimaru smiled like the devil when Naruto gave him the nod. "Surely you've noticed the injustice that I speak of, correct? That you, a loyal ninja of Konohagakure that was doing only your duty of defending a comrade and trying to stop a traitor, is here, locked in a cage while the victim of this grievous attack, crippled and left barren, is thrown out of her own house, not even allowed to collect her possessions, while the bastard who did this is not only NOT sharing a cell somewhere, he is out there free, in another village, avoiding his greatly deserved punishment. Injustice!"

Naruto growled at how he said it while glancing at Hinata, seeing her downtrodden look. "I know about my situation."

"Of course you do, what they let you know anyway." Orochimaru motioned Naruto closer like he was about to speak something he shouldn't, though the man ignored that Naruto didn't move. "I will secure your release, Naruto, so that you may see to it that justice is done. On one condition. You see, people are very concerned and rightly so that if you are freed, you will just go on your hunt again, maybe even...heh heh, powering up within the village. You agree to stay calm in the village, fox free, and to listen to what I tell you. If you don't, I will discipline you much like a person would a pet dog until the problem has been corrected."

"Then why would I agree?"

"Ah, there is that intellect I knew was somewhere, what do I truly offer. If nothing else, Naruto, your time, heh, behind bars has improved you, made you less trusting of the people of this village. I approve. As for why, the benefit package of course. If you agree, I will do two things for you. First is medical, I am a scientist, Mister Uzumaki, among many things. I know how to clone an individual, its rather easy. In nine months, I can have for your little Hyuuga..."

"Hinata," Naruto growled.

"Hinata," Orochimaru conceded, "a new set of eyes." He was pleased with both their amazed looks. "And not too long after that, a few years when you will be ready for them, Mrs. Hinata, I will have a set of ovaries prepared that I can surgically implant in you. Your own ovaries, your own children." He could see that hopeful look on her face there. "Now before you agree right off the bat, there is that second thing I will give you, and you must realize what this all will mean for you."

"Well get on with it," Naruto nearly shouted, making all his guards frown at how eager he was.

"Kukuku. The second thing, Naruto, is the answer to why. Why did the Yondiame choose you?" The guards all suddenly tensed, making Naruto glance at them. "You see it, don't you? They know something that they don't want you to know."

Kakashi, still reading his book, said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, he does, he's the worst offender of this village with this secret, Uzumaki Naruto. Tell me, Naruto, have you ever thought why? Surely you noticed, so many in the village were born at the right time before the Kyuubi attacked. Your friend Uchiha Sasuke, not even half a year older than you, would have been a better choice to contain the Kyuubi than you, a babe stolen from your delivery cradle."

"That's enough," Ibiki tried to interrupt but Orochimaru kept going.

"He would have had a family to protect and support him, to teach him of his origins and how to use that fox to his benefit! Why then a nameless orphan no one but one little girl wanted anything to do with?"

"I said..." Ibiki tried to grab him but snakes only fell from Orochimaru's sleeves and tried to bind the group around them.

"The truth is, Naruto, you aren't a nameless orphan! These peons should be thanking you every day for the sacrifice you and your family has made! Then why do you think they make you believe you are nothing?" Naruto blinked, entralled and believing him. "Because as long as you don't know..."

"Don't listen to him," Kakashi tried to warn.

"...the truth, as long as you think that, they can control you. Your, kukuku, sensei, Kakashi, he not only knew your father, he admired him. And yet when the time came to step up and support his son, he...went back to his house and read pornagraphy while leaving you to defend yourself against the very heart of winter. You have a godfather and he is...not here. You have a name, Uzumaki, and it is one to be proud of! They wear your clan's symbol on their jacket and...you know nothing of them." Naruto looked at the man that was supposed to teach him yet he didn't meet his eyes. "The secret, Naruto, is your life, and not this psuedo existence they have forced you to live."

"...Who," Naruto started to say but shook his head. "Who decided to do this to me? To keep it hidden."

"No, no, no, you're too intelligent to lie to yourself, Naruto, I know it. You know it too, the Sandiame Hokage, who was always there when you could barely stand it. When you just wanted to scream in rage, he would make time and keep you together. Be a father and gentle, to make you admire him, to bond with him, to...put you completely under the control of the village, and never even let you think of leaving and finding somewhere that would accept you for who you are."

"No, he wouldn't," Hinata tried to deny.

"Oh? You think he's just a kind old man? When I was in a team with him, he destroyed a village during a war. He chose how, poisoned water supply. Things that village had more than ninja, men, women, and little children. But enough about this, don't want to give away too much. Now, the consequences."

"...How can I trust you," Naruto asked, seeing Orochimaru grin at that, once again approving.

"Because Naruto, I'm not a normal ninja like these here. I'll be up front about it, I want to use you for my own ends. But I will give you things in return, unlike them. You will always know where you stand with me and why. What I listed, that is just the beginning of the rewards I would shower you should you serve me well. These...people, they hate me, Naruto, because I dare defy them. But if you serve me, Naruto, they will hate you as well. Even greater than they already do. You could one day have the strength to be the greatest hokage there could ever be but they would deny you the title just to spite us. They did me, they will you. So, one outcast to another..." The devil put his hand through the bars in offer, temptingly waiting. "...Do we have a deal?"

—oo000oo—

 _ **The following sections will also take place in Transitions. They too will focus on Orochimaru.**_

—oo000oo—

Naruto looked to the offered hand and hesitated. "I do hope you agree Naruto-kun, and let me help Hinata. It would be the greatest of slights against the Hyuuga house."

"How so?"

"Why, it would render their judgement of her impotent. They kicked her from their house because they view her as worthless and yet, in just three years, I could have her quite fit for all things. Ku ku ku. It would burn their sides that they don't control her. And tied to you, tied to me, they would never reach her. Why, I could think of only one thing better, hope I would get justice in your place."

"How will you help me with that?"

"Oh, we could do to him what he did to her, let him leave after that. No ninja village would bother with him as anything he knows would be worthless about, and physically he couldn't do anything but beg for help. We could bring him back here to the village for trial. Or my personal favorite, use him to get justice on the ones that caused all this. You know it, Naruto, Neji would have been the start. It is Hyuuga Hiashi that truly is the cause of all this pain. He threw Hinata out, he pushed Neji into finally snapping. You know Neji only did this to spit in the face of Hiashi, to cripple a member of the main family and then to escape to another village to avoid punishment from them. And to give the Byakugan to another village, despite their best efforts to ensure that never happens. Give him back, you do the Hyuuga's work for them. But if you were to wait a few years... Why that would be more than enough time for Suna to start their own Hyuuga clan in their village, free of the constraint and rules of the elders of the clan. Why, I dare even say that the Hyuuga might just be counting on you to capture or possibly kill him. It keeps their nose clean and offers you as the sacrifice if someone wishes to make something of it. Letting him live there, that is what I would do to spite them."

"I will not forgive him."

"Oh no, Naruto-kun, never that. Hurt Hyuuga Neji in some unforgettable way, take an eye or a hand and foot and say you are giving it to Hinata, but don't do the Hyuuga's work for them. Maybe even sabotage their efforts to get him back."

—oo000oo—

"Ah, Uchiha Sasuke, so nice to finally meet you," Orochimaru stated, walking into his recovery room with that smile on his face, the same the made Naruto's skin crawl.

"Do I know you?"

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

"I just came to talk, after all, you are teammates of Uzumaki Naruto," his grinned grew when he saw Sasuke visibly flinch, "and the little brother of the great Uchiha Slayer, Uchiha Itachi." Another flinch, a bigger smile. Sasuke clearly had never been used to find out about others more important than him.

"Get out."

"No, I don't think so," Orochimaru replied, taking a seat. When Sasuke glanced around, he said, "Oh don't worry, no pesky ANBU will interrupt our conversation."

"...You killed them?"

"No, better. I scare them." Now, Sasuke looked intrigued. "So, I wanted to know something. As the Code Black pardoned him of his crimes, it looks like Itachi is to be welcomed back with open arms."

"WHAT!?"

"Oh, I guess you weren't going to be told that," Orochimaru muttered. "Yes, he is. You see, when you teammate went on his rampage, ou pushing and prodding the whole way, the Hokage felt that it was too dangerous to continue things as normal. Good reason too, I'm fairly certain that had he not been stopped, Uzumaki Naruto would have torn the Hyuuga boy apart and then possibly look for others."

"...No, that dobe wouldn't lose control like that."

"Except at the bridge," Orochimaru encouraged. "Yes, I know all about your little adventure in Nami no Kuni, dozens dead, their bodies crushed and destroyed. Uzumaki has a rather...vicious streak in him when angered. Why, anyone that ever even pushed the girl might have been endangered." Orochimaru watched Sasuke closely, judging each shift, turn of the head, how he strained at his restraints. "Did you know that the Hyuuga girl was abused? Oh yes, and she has been sharing her pain with Uzumaki. The destruction he would have done if unleashed to his fullest...spectacular."

"Talking about the deaths of innocent people is spectacular?"

"Innocent? Let me tell you how innocent they are? Did you know that the elders regularly torture branch members? The ceremony to christen the a new heir has them using a seal to cause such intense pain until no less than three pass out from it? Three years ago, the Hyuuga did a mission for that very despot you help dispose to find a few individuals and make them have accidents that killed them, individuals that were going to close down parts of his drug trade and production. This was done under the table as it would look bad if the village was doing such missions."

"Why are you talking to me?"

"Just wondering what you are planning."

"What I plan doesn't matter."

"You're right! Plans put into actions do, until then they are worthless. Everyone has plans. The Hokage has a plan somewhere that will lead to the complete destruction of the Daimyo line, making him the ruler of Hi no Kuni. Course the Daimyo has plans to eliminate Konohagakure at a moment's notice as well."

Sasuke grew thoughtful here, not just about the change of direction. "...You don't really care, do you?"

"Oh?"

"You are after something else, not the dobe, not itachi, you are looking at me, and how I respond."

Raising his hands, Orochimaru gave a slow clap. "Kukuku, was I so obvious?"

"Its the only thing that made sense. The varied subjects, pushing topics, refusing to back down, how you watch me."

"...I have an issue, Sasuke, with individuals in this village and outside it. I am always on the look out for those that could aid me. I won't lie, I will be using you for my own purpose but I will reward you for that service. No, no, no, no questions at this time. We shall talk more. Just remember something in the coming hours. You are never being told the full truth. Even by the people you trust." Orochimaru stood up and walked out the room.

—oo000oo—

 _ **This is an alternate version of Orochimaru tempting Naruto. He introduced himself to Naruto and would slowly talk to him, seeing him while he is imprisoned.**_

—oo000oo—

"Just how would you help Hinata, exactly?"

Orochimaru grinned while moving a marble on his side of the board. "That is rather simple, Mr. Uzumaki, much like this game is."

"I know how to play," Naruto almost growled.

"Do you? You need a partner to play it, something I understand is in short supply for you growing up. Halma, or chinese checkers, has you moving pieces by having them hopping over each other. If you 'leap frog' an enemy token, you remove it. Like so." Orochimaru moved another piece several spaces, nearly putting it where it needed to be, making Naruto grumble. "How did you get this game in your cell? I don't think your little Hyuuga..."

"Hinata," Naruto corrected again.

"Hinata brought it down for you."

"...The Old Man had it put here to play with me. I told him to shove off."

Orochimaru nodded and waited for his turn to speak again. "Did you know that there is a cell that can do anything within a fetus?" At Naruto's look, Orochimaru smirked once more. "Oh yes, you don't know biology. It is called a stem cell, Mr. Uzumaki. I assume you have heard some interesting details about me, have you not?"

"...The Old Man said that you betrayed Konoha for immortality."

"Ah, that is a matter of perspective on who betrayed who. Semantics, really. But immortality, yes, that was and still is a means for my goal. I want knowledge, Mr. Uzumaki, and as knowledge continues to grow, I must be around to know it all. Really, if it wasn't for the how I go about it, I'm quite charismatic. Now, one of the means I thought about for immortality is stem cells."

"I don't see how that will heal Hinata, she doesn't want to live forever."

"You are correct in that context. And I have found that stem cells cannot aid me in living so. Instead I have found the potential to create thee elixer. The fabled curative that will heal any wound." Orochimaru chuckled as Naruto suddenly took several of his pieces. "I took a heart, Mr. Uzumaki, from a rat dead for three days, cleaned it of dead cells and decomposition, and then injected stem cells into it. In less than an hour, the heart was regenerated and usable. I have altered my body in a way that allows me to produce these cells in massive numbers in a healing jutsu. Most find it disturbing how I do but it is better than the alternative." Orochimaru moved his next piece.

And Naruto didn't move his. "Could these cells heal Hinata?"

"...Yes and no." Orochimaru folded his hands, taking a slow, deep breathe. "The eye is sensitive and complicated, a Hyuuga eye especially, but not beyond the recovery of these cells. The ovaries though..."

"What?"

"...Imagine this board as the ovarie of a woman at birth. At her first period, she releases an egg." Orochimaru removed a marble. "Then her next." Another marble. "And the following and so on. Have you seen me put any marbles back?"

"No."

"Because a woman never produces more. Her ovaries hold as many as she will get in her life from birth."

"So Hinata can't... Wait, you said that stem cells can replace ANY cell!"

Orochimaru began to smile again. "I truly don't see why any of your teachers thought you an idiot, I believe you to be quite observant. Yes, it could be possible to convert stem cells into eggs, the question though is how. Inject stem cells into your l...Hinata's ovaries would only heal the damage. If her eggs were destroyed," Orochimaru shrugged. "It could be possible to encourage them to repair the eggs as well. We shall see."

Naruto was quite as he replaced the pieces on the board. "Why isn't this more commonly used?"

"Kukukuku. Because it is morally questionable," Orochimaru told him happily. "Human's don't produce stem cells normally...but fertilized eggs do. And in extracting these cells, you destroy the fetus. Tsunade-chan, she developed a technique that shortens her life to heal any wound, i developed one that destroys a cell before its a life. And she receives the praise. Even if it can't do something like let a blind girl see again. Have a good day Mr. Uzumaki. Oh, and by the way, Tsunade knew about this too.

—oo000oo—

Kabuto went over everything he knew and he still came up with nothing. "Lord Orochimaru, if I may ask you something?" Waiting until he nodded, Kabuto said, "You spoke to and offer both Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke almost the same thing in the end. Rewards for servitude to you. Yet my understanding of the two is that it is very unlikely that Sasuke would join if the Naruto already has." Again Orochimaru nodded, that smirk still in place. "So if you are after Sasuke, why try and claim both?"

"Always the good questions, my favored. Yes, Sasuke and his sharigan is the prize I desire. I sincerely doubt that he will accept my offer because no doubt, someone told him all about me within the hour."

"Then you want something else with Naruto."

"Correct, Kabuto. I didn't even lose time by doing this, no matter how this plays out, I only gain."

"...You seeded doubt and distrust," Kabuto realized.

"Yes. No matter what that is to follow, Konoha has lost something very important to them. This village, it has always held the Kyuubi. The other bijuu, they trade hands every few decades, either through being captured or desertion, but Konoha has held the strongest and the loyalty of it's Jinchuuriki."

"But if Naruto doesn't have any desire to fight for them," Kabuto led.

"Then they will have to force him to," Orochimaru said, the grin widening. "Otherwise, it would be no different than if Uzumaki abandoned this village. His little Hyuuga, like it or not, she is now drawn into this game of manipulation. They will use her, promises or threats, against him."

"If Uzumaki Naruto doesn't want to fight."

"Correct. But there is more. Even if Uzumaki isn't shaken, the village is. By now, the Hokage knows that Uzumaki knows he has been lied to, he will have to start making plans, control must be maintained."

"And eventually as they try to tighten around him..."

"They will push him away. And finally, there is just the third option. Against the odds of it, Uzumaki just might accept even knowing the strings that will be attached."

That made Kabuto frown. "Sasuke is clearly the better choice, he is stronger, smarter, better in every way."

"Ah, but he isn't in EVERY way. Under the constant burdens that the two has suffered under, Sasuke has given himself to it, would rather be buried than strive to overcome. He has surrendered while Uzumaki... He lives by the example of the Shodai."

"The First Hokage? How is that fool anything like him?"

"Ah yes, I nearly forgot. That statue might have you believe the man was always collected, stoic, focused, but the truth is, Senju Hashirama was a complete fool and weakling growing up. Far inferior to his brother Tobirama. But Uzumaki and Hashirama, men like these two fall only to get back up stronger than before. I believe that when Uzumaki grows into his true potential, he will be a force unto his own. Also wouldn't hurt to have the Kyuubi jinchuuriki on my side. As for this effecting my obtaining of Sasuke, I believe that when the boy learns the truth about the destruction of his clan, he isn't going to take it very well. At the very least, if I do gain Uzumaki and Sasuke doesn't want anything to do with him, he will also not want anything to do Konoha either. Maybe even take his father's belief within him, believe that the Uchiha clan truly deserved the be Hokage." Orochimaru laughed at that.

"Orochimaru-sama, you don't approve?"

"Fugaku was weak and arrogant, his clan not much better. Itachi...he is an exemplary but the rest... Too reliant on a tool." Kabuto linked in surprise, never having seen this part of his master before. "Kukuku, surprised? Despite knowing that I grew to be who I am without any such tools to aid me? That is all a kekkei genkai is, a tool. Look how weak the Hyuuga clan has become. They were once feared throughout the Elemental Continent as some of the greatest of ninja and yet now, you would be hard pressed to find any with expertise outside their taijutsu style. That is why, Kabuto, I am very careful about the bodies I choose. Those that has become dependent to something can never be truly fit for one such as I. By last count, how many kekkei genkai users are there in Oto or those that specialize in a single powerful field?"

"...Your Sound Five, Guren and her team... Far too many to list actually."

"And yet, I have always chosen away from them, haven't I? Circumstances different, I might have tried to mold Uzumaki into a body for me, the power that I would gain... Alas, with the Kyuubi, that would be a poor decision on my part. Akatsuki is mad enough at me. Regardless, Sasuke-kun. If he does abandon then I can claim him at my leisure while being given ample time to shape Uzumaki into a powerful tool. Should I gain both... Kukukuku. The rivalry these two share will always have them trying to out do the other. Expand one into a new area just a little, the other would strive to surpass them. I dare say that it would be easier to control and empower them if they both join."

"Would the Curse Seal work with Uzumaki?"

"Maybe, but I am actually more interested in seeing something else." Orochimaru had a very calculating look in his eye as he thought of something. "Would I even need to implant part of my chakra and soul?"

"Is that not how you control the barer through the seal?"

"Yes, that is the secondary purpose, but the seal was meant to draw in nature chakra and use my chakra to corrupt it into something usable for more normal individuals. Yet Uzumaki's chakra is already corrupted by the Kyuubi. Hmmm... So tempting to try it just to see what would happen. Never tried it with a jinchuuriki before."

"A curious thought, to be sure. What are the chances, if Uzumaki did join you, that you would be able to help the girl?"

Orochimaru snorted but not for what Kabuto thought. "I am a man of my word, it would be easy. The human eyes never change size, they are the same from birth to grave. Nine months to grow the eyes, three eyes to mature the ovaries to the correct stage. Hmmm."

"More thoughts and plans?"

"Just a way to get Uzumaki to my side on a less permament basis. I could use the organs as payment. Yes, Have Uzumaki do things for me and in return said organs. I gain the power of a jinchuuriki while avoiding Akatsuki's wrath while Uzumaki's little Hyuuga still gets her eyes and ovaries. Kukuku, do I ever stop planning?"

—oo000oo—

Naruto just stared and listened to Sarutobi as he recanted what his advisors had said in regards to Naruto and what he had learned from Tsunade and Jiriaya. "Now, Naruto, I have to ask you questions so that I can make a decision on a fourth option." Naruto remained silent, glancing at the three Sannin waiting outside his cell, particularly the smirking one standing alone. Orochimaru just raised his hand, as if to say he told him so. "Naruto?"

"...I finally understand what he meant."

Hiruzen followed his gaze and looked at Orochimaru. "What he meant?"

"Yes. Orochimaru said that 'it was a matter of perspective on who betrayed who'. I understand what he meant."

"Naruto, Orochimaru is..."

"I know who he is," Naruto interrupted. "He is the ONLY person that has ever told me the truth. Kinda sad, really, that of the people here, the great doctor, the brilliant spy master, the 'honorable' Hokage and the murderous traitor, the one that has held nothing back is the one I shouldn't trust. I know there is a law, that you made, that hides not just what I am but also WHO I am. And now you come to me with this, death at the hands of Hyuuga Hiashi. Heh, can't say I'm surprised on that one. Turned into a heartless, soulless weapon by this Danzou guy. Or locked in a cell for the rest of my unnatural life, only to be taken out when needed and then be shoved back into it once the danger is over. Like I said, I understand what he meant."

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent, offering a weak glare at Orochimaru who only smiled in return. "...Yes, Naruto, I lied. Had the truth been revealed, you would have been in unspeakable danger. I doubt you would be alive by now if I hadn't. I am sorry if you feel betrayed by that."

"Betrayed, by that? Oh, no, no, no, Honorable Hokage, this goes FAR beyond being a little betrayed over not being told who I am. I tried to defend Hinata while everyone else was just going to let that bastard go and I'm the one in trouble." Naruto paused for a moment, licking his lips to find the right words here. "Were it not for Hinata, I would deny all of you and kill myself in the way of my choosing. No public execution by the Hyuuga, no weapon for 'Danzou', no tool to be pulled out when needed for everyone else, and no Kyuubi to be shoved into some other innocent child!" Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself, noticing Orochimaru almost looked proud at his proclamation. "But there is Hinata, and I love her more than I would deny you. So fine. Just stop lying to me and we can talk. For once in both our lives, tell the truth."

"...You are the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, the Fourth Hokage and his wife. You were chosen by your father to be a jinchuuriki because it is tradition that all jinchuuriki to choose a relative a one of the five Kages to prevent them from abandoning their village."

"...And how well does that work, out of curiosity?"

"Not very well, four out of nine Jinchuuriki has abandoned their village," Orochimaru stated. "I'm certain lucky number seven would have as well if her village didn't have something forcing her obedience."

"...Well, that sounds about right," Naruto grumbled. "How many in this village knows not only the law but the details?"

Sarutobi hesitated in answering, he did not want to say this. "Everyone in this room, Kakashi, my advisors, many of the clan heads, my most trusted ANBU. Anyone that knows the tradition about Jinchuuriki and knows you are. I imagine that means all of Suna by now. I expect it will be widely known by the end of the month."

"So...this secret was really only a secret from me, huh, that actually hurts less than I thought it was going to." Naruto's face pinched in thought and asked, "Does Hiashi know?"

"Hiashi? Why do you want to know about him in particular?"

"Because he is the one that calls for my death, because he is the one that has hurt Hinata the most. Does he know and just not care? If he didn't know, would he have jumped to have some connection between him and all the power that comes from the Yondiame's name. Could all of this have been avoided?" Now, Orochimaru was really grinning. The man really thought his short time in prison was doing the boy wonders.

"...I honestly can't say if it would have..." He stopped when Naruto's face twisted into a scowl.

"No, no more lying, you do know."

"...Hiashi was looking for any reason to remove Hinata from his clan. If the chance came up that it would also connect him to your father," Naruto glared at that, "he would have taken it, yes."

—oo000oo—

 _ **Now, there is more to these chains of thoughts but the remains shall be part of the plot of 'For the Good of the One.' This story shall be the same until the time spent out of the village preparing for Akatsuki. The important parts of it is that periodically while away, the members of the team will change their appearance to avoid notice, and that while away, Konoha will have orders for them as in feild agents, acting on Konoha's behalf. So while some things that happened in Naruto didn't happen, others will. And others things that weren't suppose to happen did. Side note for later, Naruto has met Terumi Mei.**_


	2. Ch 1 Coming Home

**_Author's Notes: The following is a fan based parody of a fan based parody. Naruto is owned by Kishimoto Masashi!? What the hell is this!? I was killed in the first season of Naruto and you brought me back just to do this legal bullshit!? Screw that! If I'm going to do this, prepare for your ears to bleed! Ahem. The following is bullshit of a fan based parody. That jackass Naruto is owned by the Kishimoto Masashi! Who stole a lot of ideas from fanfiction anyway! And while we're on it, Kishimoto, you dick, who did you think you were fooling giving that mask to Obito and having him call himself Madara!? You didn't even change the hairstyle, fucktard! You can find a meme two years older than the reveal on google images! And you, the asshole that wrote this, don't think I'm letting you off easy! I know you got this idea from Team Four Star, Hellsing Abridge, you fucking hack! Mistress Winowyll...let me borrow that whip and I might go easy on you. AND THE REST OF YOU! KISS MY ASS AND GO TO HE..._**

 ** _Tayuya Muted._**

 **For The Good Of The One**

 **Written by Foxcomm**

 **Chapter 1**

 _Six months after the defeat of Pein, Obito, and Madara._

—oo000oo—

Eyes closed, Naruto slowly climbed to his feet, stumbling as he felt almost out of energy. He didn't even need to check to know that the Sage of Six Paths had taken his friend from him. The emptiness he felt answered that. Leaning against a tree, Naruto saw Jiriaya in a similar state as he got up, though not as bad. "You okay," Naruto asked.

"Yeah...though strangest dream after the battle. I thought I was the guest of the Sage of Six Paths."

"...We were," Naruto answered. "I saw the same thing, he said it would be six months. And from the look of the seasons, he was right." Looking down, Naruto saw decayed bodies wearing tattered black cloaks with red clouds on them. "Right where he picked us up. Akatsuki are done for."

"Time to go home, ne? And you can finally get a hair cut." Naruto reached up and pulled a lock of red hair to his eyes. Over the last ten years, Naruto had to change his hair style several times. Close cut brown, bald when he pretended to be a monk for a year, black topknot when he was disguised as a samurai, this latest style was a longer red that was inspired when he came across a scroll detailing the Uzumaki Clan of Uzu no Kuni and their destruction. This long though, it was too heavy to spike, leaving it more or less flat and part of it in a pony tail. He was afraid that during the fight it might get grabbed and was prepared to cat it off but Pein never tried it. "...I don't know, I'm a bit fond of it. And it still makes me laugh when I think about the face you made when I chose this style."

"Just surprising was all," Jiriaya grumbled. "Regardless, let's head home, we've both been from it long enough."

"I'll say." Naruto took quick count of the directions and turned east. "Do you still feel weak?"

"Not badly, more like I slept too long." Jiriaya rubbed his arm and looked around for a moment. "Where is Kakashi and Itachi?"

"The Sage told me Itachi escaped alive, if he returned to the village, he would've grabbed Kakashi," Naruto stated, walking out of the clearing and onto a road. "What do you think, Ero-sennin, a week to get home?"

"If we can't rush, yeah, about that. Maybe stop at a town somewhere to get a change of clothes."

Naruto paused and looked down at himself. "I guess we do look a little bad. Almost like I was stabbed through the stomach with two swords," he said with a little humor. "Well, let's go."

—oo000oo—

Standing a mile from Konoha, Naruto felt eager to just sprint the rest of the way. Back at the border of Hi no Kune and Ame no Kuni, Naruto had settled for a blue samurai garb, kimono and hakama, though he did like how it made him appear a bit more respectable. When he became Hokage, he would wear a Hakama as well. Out of habit, Naruto hadn't tied his headband back on, just kept it in his pocket. Jiriaya, somehow, found an exact duplicate of his normal clothes. Lucky old pervert.

"You alright, kid," Jiriaya asked.

"...Scared, nervous, excited...and hopeful," Naruto answered. He looked to Jiriaya when the man rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, it's been ten years, I know she means so much to you but its possible she didn't wait. Who knows what happened after we were displaced by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki."

Naruto sighed and said, "I know. But still I will hope."

"...Hope is a self made genjutsu, Naruto," Jiraiya said as he walked. "The ones about love the worse of them. That things will come out alright but reality is pain is hiding around the corner."

"Two things, Ero-sennin, one, what else do I have to hope for, really? Two, I am not going to take advice about love from a man that couldn't find it without paying for it."

"Oh, right in the weak spot. But still, how about instead of hope, you focus on things you know will happen. Maybe when we get back, we can get you promoted to Chunin."

"...Chunin," Naruto asked skeptically.

"Well, I do have some pull with the current Hokage after all," Jiriaya said cheekily.

"...You're not joking, after all that I did, mastering Sage arts and taking down most of Akatsuki, that's all I'll get?"

"Battle experience and luck," Jiriaya wrote it off as. "Maybe we'll get you the head Genin position, have you help them cute kiddies pain fenses..."

"Oh no."

"Or pulling weeds..."

"Not again, once in a life time is enough."

"I heard there is a bit of a cat problem that Genin help with."

"Don't even joke about that!"

"And there is the never ending need of the river being cleaned of garbage. Ah, good business of the village is but a small part we, as shinobi, need so as to keep our economy going."

Naruto groaned and dropped his head as he walked. "I should've been a cook for at Ichiraku's. Every knows how great he is."

Jiriaya chuckled at the teasing and said, "Hey, one more thing." Naruto looked to the man walking beside him, ready for more. "I'm sure, if you asked nicely, we could tell you a few things about your parents."

Jiriaya was grinning at that but stopped a few steps later when he noticed the young man no longers walking with him. He didn't even start turning back to him when he heard, "That isn't funny, Jiriaya."

That one word, his name, let the elder ninja know he had made a mistake. Never, not in the last decade, had Naruto ever called him that, much less with that icy tone so reminicent of Itachi.

"Naruto...this may come as a shock but we..."

"Who is we," Naruto asked, his gaze accusing. When Jiriaya didn't answer, Naruto asked again. "Jiriaya, just who is we?"

"...Everyone. Anyone that was alive at the attack, and anyone that has since made it to chunin." Betrayal, that is what Jiriaya saw on his face as he looked from him to the village just up ahead. The young man looked so heartbroken right then.

"...Did Hinata know?"

"No, like I said, only those chunin or above among the active duty. She might know now, given our last report saying her sight was partially restored. But not then." That did a little to help but not much. And then Naruto did something that Jiriaya always hated. He closed up.

He never imagined that during the trip, Naruto would start to look up to the man that was there to kill him if needed yet he did. Every now and then, Itachi would offer a suggestion, a way to improve his disguise or a way to improve himself. The gems he offered were rare but Naruto would hang on every word, Jiriaya never did figure out why Naruto held him so much higher than himself. And the lesson Naruto used most from him was when to bare everything as he usually did, and when to lock it away on the inside to show only what he wanted. Right now, Naruto wanted stone to show because he didn't trust what would with the realization that the people he looked up too, Iruka-sensei, Jiriaya, the Old Man, Kakashi, and Itachi had all been lying to him these last ten years.

"Go ahead and say it," Naruto said as he slowly walked forward once more.

"Say what?"

"Whatever reason or several you have to justify it the lying." The way he said it, Jiriaya almost wished Naruto hit him instead.

"...Because of the danger you present," Jiriaya finally said. "If ever you lost control again, we were to do anything to stop you."

"Even use Hinata-chan."

"Yes."

Naruto showed nothing but he did say, "Jiriaya, if this is another of your messed up jokes, I will tie you up, strip you naked, and throw you into a gay bar. It really isn't funny. Because I would rather think my parents abandoned me."

"No, no its not. And nothing I say is going to make any of this better. Honestly, I think only Sensei can, right now. Look, when we get there, he can explain it. Think I've said enough today anyway."

"So do I."

—oo000oo—

In passing the Hotsprings, Jiriaya slowed down. "I know what you're going to say and no," Naruto cut him off.

"But I need so much research," the man protested. "I'm six months behind!"

"Ero-sennin, I am not waiting around here while you perve on women half your age. I am going."

"...Better than him calling me Jiriaya," the man said as he was left behind and he didn't follow him, Naruto probably was going to have to let off steam first before anything happened between them again.

When Naruto reached the gate, he pulled out a passport and held it to them. So much of his things had been destroyed in that last battle that the only I.D. he had left was one of his fakes. "Asagi Takeda," he said, handing it over.

 _'The truth is a tool, Naruto, for you to use to get what you need done. Apologise later for lying.' That was Naruto's least favorite lesson from Itachi but he heard him out and followed it when he needed._

The gate guards looked it over before making note of it in their logs and handing it back. "Reason for visit?"

"Business, I know a really good recipe for soba soup and this blond baka I met on my travels said the greatest ramen chef in the world was in Konoha. I take that as a challenge." That got the guards to chuckle.

"That reminds me of the past," the one with the scarred cheek said to his partner.

"Yeah, when Naruto would run about causing trouble before just going to get a bowl from Ichiraku's." They faced him once more and said, "You may enter but remain on your best behavior."

"Will do, gentlemen, thank you." Walking in, Naruto found himself once more on the main road that would eventually lead to the Hokage Tower, and along the sides of it, many kinds of shops. It would appear that Konoha had expanded while he was away. His hand suddenly brushing against a small box in his pocket, Naruto knew what he wanted first, despite everything. Technically, he should go see the Hokage, Tsunade, then the Old Man, and finish off with finding Hinata. Technically. Instead, the only stop between him and Hinata was going to be Yamanaka Flowers. After Hinata, he would see the Old Man, and then he would see Tsunade.

Like the other stores on the strip, Yamanaka's Flowers had also expanded, a rather nice wooden decal sign out front instead of the cloth banner it previously had. The inside was similar, new stands, rows of flowers, electrical coolers to keep certain plants fresh and alive. "Hello," Naruto called, looking around.

"Yes, just a second," a voice he knew was Ino called as she stepped through the back. "Hello, can I help you?"

"Yes, I need a bouquet of flowers," Naruto told her, smiling as she smiled, though it slipped when he saw just how much was going on around him. "Are you busy?"

"Yes, there's a marriage in a week or so and my family's doing the floral arrangements," Ino said, looking about. "So much to do and order still."

"Heh, I'll try to be quick then," Naruto said, looking around. "I'm thinking... Heh, I'm not sure. I just got back from a long term mission and I haven't seen her in years."

"Well, what did you do then?"

 _"Truthfully, I ran around the village collecting wildflowers for her. ...Lillies, I was thinking, but do you have sunflowers?"_

"No, those are very hard to get out here."

"I suspected as much," Naruto muttered. "So, who's getting married?"

"Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata."

Naruto froze, shock written on his face. "To Hyuuga H-Hinata?"

"Yes." Naruto thought he was going to be sick. "Something wrong sir?"

"Uh, sorry, just last I heard, I thought Uchiha Sasuke was...courting this pink haired woman named...Sa..Sakur..."

"Haruno Sakura," Ino supplied. "They may have gotten close a few years ago but not anymore. They're betrothal was annouced five months ago." Naruto's heart calmed a little before stopping once more.

"How long were they courting," he said, fully facing her.

"I'm not sure...I think I might've saw them spending more time than usual together a year before that. Really, is there something wrong? I'm sorry, what is your name again?"

"I didn't give it," Naruto said before offering, "Asagi Takeda."

"Takeda? Can't say that name rings a bell. Why so interested in this?"

"...I know that before he left, that Uzumaki boy and her were close."

"Ah, I see. Naruto is dead now though. The thing that gets me though is they declared the betrothal right after his funeral." Another sliver of ice stabbed Naruto's heart.

"I, I'm sorry, my girl said she would wait for me, I think I better go see her now," Naruto forced out before he nearly ran from the store and down the street. Reaching training ground seven in record time, he saw the monument and frantically began to search it. And there it was, Kakashi's name, his, and Jiriaya's all with the same date. Slapping a hand over his mouth, Naruto began to look down. If he hadn't been stabbed in the back, if those six months weren't taken from him and he had been allowed to finally return home...

"YOU LIAR!" He knew the Sage was watching even now and he could already hear the man's reply. That he said only that if Hinata had waited this long, she would wait a bit longer. And she didn't, she had stopped waiting long before that.

 _'Lock it away, where you can't feel it,' Naruto found himself thinking as the exercise played out and once more he was only Asagi Takeda. Turning around, he thought about his destination and decided to go see Sarutobi, the man owed him some answered._

—oo000oo—

"Excuse me, father," Asuma said, coming into the man's study to find him staring at a blank canvas. "There is someone here to see you, says it's about Uzumaki Naruto."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked to Asuma with his full attention. "Where is he?"

"At the entrance now."

Sarutobi nearly ran to the door to find a red haired man in a blue kimono waiting for him, and when he saw his face, he nearly choked. It was like someone took a younger Kushina and made her a man. "You know information about Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Well," Naruto hesitated as he brought a hand to his cheek, pushed and pulled down against it and made the faded whisker birthmarks more apparent on his face for a moment, "I think I know where my whereabouts is, Old Man."

"Naruto? Naruto! It's so good to see you my boy!" Sarutobi pulled the man into a hug but then stepped back, surprised. "When did you get so big?"

"I don't know, yesterday I was only five foot two," Naruto said with a chuckle, also surprised to find how old the man looked anymore.

"If you're still alive, is Jiriaya?"

"Of course, the world isn't that lucky just yet. Just as soon as we made it to Konoha's proper, he made a beeline right for the Hotsprings. The old pervert."

"He's fine," Sarutobi said with a relieved laugh. "Where were you, I thought you were dead."

"So I've heard. I've also heard you weren't the only one."

"Already heard about the funeral?"

"That, and what happened right afterwards."

"Hinata," Sarutobi said softly. "Naruto," he started but just let it go. "Nothing I say will help, will it?"

"No, it won't," Naruto answered him, being led back to the study.

"...What is with these clothes and your hair?"

"My uniform was destroyed in combat," Naruto informed him. "They stabbed me in the back, twice, and through my stomach. No amount of cleaning was getting that much blood out."

"I suppose not. So many questions, Naruto."

"Then let me ask one of my own. Jiriaya let slip right before we got here that he knew who my parents are, that everyone knows. I didn't really want to hear it from him right then, I'd rather hear it from you."

Sarutobi's face fell as he glanced away. "Naruto, I did it for the best of the village."

"Yeah," Naruto muttered, "heard that from Jiriaya too. And calmer now than I was, I might just agree with you as I did destroy an entire tower. Might, still holding complete judgement."

Hiruzen nodded, more or less expecting that. "I guess I should say their names first, you were named after your mother, Uzumaki Kushina. You actually look a lot like her right now." Naruto nodded expectantly. "And the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. And there's more. Jiriaya was your father's teacher and was named your godfather." Naruto grew quiet at that, shocked. "It's something of a tradition that every Jinchuuriki be related to one of the Five Kages, the first was a great aunt from your mother's side, Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage was the first Jinchuuriki and the first Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. Almost forty years ago, as she neared her death, we got another member of the Uzumaki in the village, a niece named Uzumaki Kushina. She volunte...no, no more lies. We all but forced her to become his Jinchuuriki. She cried for a week before and after the sealing. Eventually though she grew to like it here enough that she found someone she liked. Your father."

"And all the others are related to one of them?"

"All the others as well. You remember Gaara? He is the son of the Tondiame Kazekage, Sabaku Rasa. I could list the others if you want."

"No," Naruto declined before he started to chuckle. "So this is the final joke in this devine comedy. I didn't see this one coming, I almot feel like applauding." Naruto turned and fell into a chair, cupping his face. "Why Uzumaki, why us? There are barely any of us anymore and you still insist that we do it."

"I could say their extraoridinary skill in fuinjutsu," Sarutobi answered. "The strength and longevity they are known to possess. Their will power. There are many reasons that could be said. But there truly is only two. Senju Hashirama, the Shodai, he was long time allies with Uzumaki, and he felt that he couldn't ask just anyone to bear the burden he needed. So his wife said she would do it. As for me when I made the decision, I saw someone strong from outside the village with few family members. Meaning no family would lose a daughter, and the village would grow stronger."

"So you just kidnapped her and forced her into this life?"

"No, I... In essence I bought her. I promised that she would be cared for, trained, and with the Senju and her family would be financially repaid. There was nuances to the deal but that is the short of it."

"...I should punch you for that," Naruto said softly.

"And I wouldn't blame you," Sarutobi answered.

Naruto stood up and headed for the door, "Jiriaya will tell you the details on where we've been, I need to go. And I still need to go meet with the Hokage. Can you...find Itachi if he is here and ask him to meet me at training ground seven in an hour or two?"

"Yes I will." Naruto didn't wait, he left and didn't look back.

—oo000oo—

Naruto walked into the Hokage's office with a knock and saw that blond woman he met a few times back before he left. "Hokage-sama? Genin Uzumaki Naruto reporting, mission complete."

"Uzumaki Naruto? But you're..."

"The first time we met, I was in a jailcell and you examined Hinata, to see if her eyes were salvagable," Naruto stated, before she could question if he was lying. "And yes, Jiriaya is alive. He's currently peeping on the hotsprings."

—oo000oo—

All of Konoha thundered as a shout echoed across it. "I'LL KILL HIM!"

—oo000oo—

"That bastard has the nerve to make me cry at his funeral and he was alive this whole time!?" Tsunade shouted as she stomped to the door, shaking the building. "I'll castrate him! No, strip the flesh off it and cover it in iodine! Death is too good for him!"

Naruto couldn't help but laugh as the blond woman was dragging this brunette in a black kimono holding her by the waist. "Tsunade-sama, please don't! Shouldn't you at least hear the end of the report?"

"...Fine, then I'll kill him. I know what happened up to the battle with Pein, where were you?"

"It's an incredible story, I don't know if you will believe me."

"Try me. It might just be enough to save Jiriaya's life." Naruto didn't say anything. "Well? You can start now."

"Hey, I'm quite upset with Jiriaya myself at the moment, I'll just wait until you're done if you would like."

"...Just tell it."

"Okay, after being stabbed by Pein, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths saved my life and Jiriaya and I spent the last six months with him, recovering."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he views the Kyuubi as something like a son of his. He was quite upset about the treatment all his children had received at the hands of humans." Naruto sat on the arm of a chair and sighed. "Don't really know what Jiriaya talked to him about, never saw him while recovering and he didn't tell me. Go ahead and ask Jiriaya, he'll tell you the same thing. And in coming back, I wonder if it would've been better if he just let me die."

"Why... Dumb question, sorry. Can't say I appreciate that girl's timing. Well, if it makes you feel any better, you are in a better position that the Hyuuga." Tsunade sat back down at her desk. "The Sage himself saved you and kept you from us. Have to say that is incredible."

Naruto's brows furrowed at that. "You believe me?"

"Of course. That story is so much bullshit it has to be true. And there is even stranger things in the report filed by Itachi, so why shouldn't Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki come down from the heavens and save you and Jiriaya?"

Naruto shrugged at that but said, "You still don't forgive him seeing the hotsprings over you though, right?"

"He will wish for death when I am done with him," she promised with a scowl.

"Oh, good. What was that about the Hyuuga?"

"Well, it would seem that Terumī Mei is a terrible person to have upset at you. The Hyuuga's reputation outside this village has plummeted, no one will do business with them any more, three attempts to find suitors for their members coming of age failed, and in all truth, they are only supporting themselves on mission income anymore. They've even been ostracized by clans within the village."

"...No it doesn't make it better but I do appreciate you telling me. Is there anything else, Hokage-sama?"

"One thing. As you survived and returned, the initial stipulations of your mission must once again be followed. It'll take about three to four hours to arrange and start but you will be called to a hearing and the mission reports by Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi will be reviewed. Likely it will go in your favor."

"I have doubts anymore," Naruto commented before standing, taking a step back, bowing his head and said, "By your leave, Hokage-sama."

"...Strange, Sensei said you would never make a proper dismissal."

"The Sandiame didn't spend ten years with Itachi-sempai." Naruto walked out the office and walked out of Konoha to the training fields.

—oo000oo—

Naruto was only mildly surprised to find Itachi already there waiting for him. "Sempai."

"Naruto-kun." The two looked at one another a moment before Naruto sighed. "Your possessions should be either with Lady Hinata or Haku."

"...I'll ask Haku but if I don't get them back, I won't care. I have a question I need to ask you, Itachi, and it is possibly the last."

"Go ahead."

"You...killed your family because of your loyalty to the village, right? So, what if your loyalty to your family had been stronger?"

"I try not to think about that," Itachi answered. "Though I understand why you are asking. Sarutobi-san told me everything."

"Yeah."

"So now, you are asking yourself if it was all worth it."

"Yeah."

"Only you can answer that one."

Naruto turned away to look at the Monument. "...Sempai, would you spar with me? I do think better when I'm moving." Naruto threw himself forward, ducking the punch to the back of his head, the match was on.

—oo000oo—

Sasuke was on his way to field seven as he sometimes went to when he needed to think but the sounds of fighting reached him to say that it was already in use. Looking to it, he found his brother sparring with some red head and they were going at it. He couldn't help but rub his arm as just seeing them striking one another's arms and legs as hard as they were made his ache. When the red head suddenly vanished and reappeared behind Itachi in an axe kick, he could only gape. Activating his sharigan, he watched carefully. Strike, counter, counter, strike, kick, jump, there! Sasuke saw the red head fold the fingers on one hand to press his thumb against his ring and pinky fingers while keeping the others straight. A one handed handsign, and the technique...it was the Shunshin! He was using an ambush technique in prolonged combat!

Itachi caught a kick and flipped the stranger into the air and again, he used the shunshin this time before he touched the ground, appearing once more bringing a chop at Itachi's neck from the side. But even as Itachi tried to turn to face him, he vanished and punched Itachi in his now exposed back. Itachi flinched at that and sighed while the stranger backed up. Sasuke nodded as that hit was to Itachi's liver, had he been using a knife, it would've been a kill shot. "Again," Itachi asked.

"Actually," Sasuke interrupted as he walked closer, "may I fight him?"

"No," the stranger said to him. "I was sparring with my sempai, nothing more... And congradulations on your upcoming marriage, Uchiha Sasuke."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"Takeda," he said, getting an unnoticed arched eyebrow from Itachi.

"Well, Takeda, I hope next time you will accept. Anyone that could strike my brother, even if he wasn't using jutsu, is impressive."

"...It could happen I suppose. Goodbye, sempai, I have a lot to think about."

"Very well, and Takeda, it isn't nice to lie."

"Was it not you that told me that the truth is a tool to use," Takeda countered before vanishing in a shunshin.

"...It was. And brother, you need to improve your observational skills. It may have been years since you saw him last but you should have recognized him." Itachi also left, leaving a confused Sasuke alone until his eyes widened.

"Naruto!" No answer, he was gone.

—oo000oo—

Sitting on the roof of the Hokage Tower, Naruto was just staring at his headband and all it represented. It meant the trust Iruka-sensei had in him but it also symbolized the lies told to him by all of them. Unrestrained now, a flurry of emotions ran rampant through him, rage, hatred, the occasional thought that he should have released the Kyuubi years agp and had been done with it. But mostly he wanted to cry. Every last person from this village, these two faced liars, they had made it their mission to hurt him and make him miserable but they could never strike him down. No, that dubious honor went to someone closer, not even the revelation who his parents were hurt this much.

 _'Watch for the knife in the back and you will be stabbed in the front,' Itachi had warned him once. A lesson that ended with Jiriaya suddenly tripping him and holding a knife to his throat to show him what they meant._

Oh and the twist of that knife was the time. He was going to come back and find them very much in love and he was going to have to take it with a smile and rejoin this village of...liars, backstabbers...this village of Ninja. When there was no reason to.

"...No," he said, dropping his head as his heart made it's decision. And that word meant so much. He didn't want their respect, he didn't want to be their leader, he didn't want to fight for them any longer...he didn't want to be the husband to any of them. "Jichuuriki are chosen from the family of the five kages to unsure their loyalty. Guess that message got lost somewhere." They do have a habit of rebeling against their villages, guess that like him they were tired of ninja.

When the door to her office opened again, Tsunade looked up from the document she was writing to see Naruto again. "Naruto, you're early, I haven't even finished the second page of the file to present to the council and judges."

"Good, then I can save you the trouble." Naruto set his headband on her desk and said, "I, Uzumaki Naruto, accept banishment from the Konohagakure, never to set foot in it or it's territories again, under pain of death." His voice sounded so strained to himself at that moment. "Nor shall I set foot in any ninja village, to reveal it's secrets willingly or otherwise. I shall be gone before the sun sets this day."

Tsunade stared at him calmly before taking the headband. "I suppose I understand why you feel you should do this, there are those that will be sad to hear this."

"No, there isn't. In fact, I think it would be better all around that no one even knows I was here."

"If that is what you wish," Tsunade conscented as she destroyed the two pages she had prepared. "May your travels lead you to happiness, Naruto. I should warn you, if something important happens you may be summoned back."

Naruto again shrugged, "It could happen I suppose."

"It is six hours to sunset. If you are still in this village by then, the ANBU will have orders to execute you, do you understand?"

"I do. I will be gone." Naruto once again took a step back and bowed his head. "By your leave, Hokage-sama."

Shizune watched him go with stunned disbelief and before she could say anything, Tsunade said, "Shizune, if at the end of this day you say I can't have any saki, I am going to slap you. Bring me the forms needed to remove their names from the monument and the one needed to make this all official."

"...Yes, Tsunade-sama."

—oo000oo—

To his surprise, Naruto actually found Haku waiting for him with Itachi just a block away from the tower. "Naruto-san," Haku awknowledged.

"Haku, I was looking for you."

"And I you, once Itachi-san told me you would be leaving."

Naruto gave a wry grin to his sempai. "I'm that transparent still?"

"I knew you had a fair idea when you asked me to spar with you," Itachi admitted.

"I already have what few possessions you left in the village," Haku said before taking a deep breath. "Naruto-san, I request to be allowed to travel with you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You charged me with watching over Hinata-san for you in your absense and I failed in that duty."

"No, you only had to protect her, if Hinata-chan...Hinata wanted to give her heart to someone else then that is her right." Haku frowned, Naruto sounded so broken right then. "You protected her, that is all."

"...Then I ask to be able to travel with you until I go home. I tire of living here in Konoha with my duty complete."

"I...could use a traveling companion," Naruto admitted. "Until out paths part, you may travel the road with me. And you sempai, do you also desire to return to the road?"

"No, my home is here, always."

"Then I have a final favor to ask of you. Give this to Konohamaru when he gets serious about a girl. Mogi if he still has a crush on her." Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet covered box. Itachi opened it and found a ring. "I no longer need it."

"I shall see to it that it gets where it belongs," Itachi said as he closed the box and pocketed it.

—oo000oo—

Naruto and Haku were passing Yamanaka Flowers when the last person Haku wanted to see stepped out. Ino's voice met them as a woman in a long Hyuuga robes stepped out of the store. "I think those flowers will be perfect," Ino said, standing at the door with the young woman. "But they don't come in season for another two months. Everything will be ready, I promise!"

"Thank you, Ino-chan," the woman said, nearly making Naruto miss a step. "Oh, Hello Haku. ...Who are you, sir?"

"Huh, Oh, Takeda-san," Ino called, seeing him again. "Uh, that face, not good news I take it?"

"No," Naruto said, focusing only on Ino and trying to ignore Hinata. "She didn't wait. Least I didn't find them making out with one another."

"Hinata-chan, this is Takeda, he just returned from a longterm mission," Ino explained. "I'm sorry to hear that, Takeda-kun. I'm sure you'll find someone for you though."

"Maybe but it will have to wait, I already have another mission."

"You do?"

"Yes, Haku-san here is returning to his village, I am to escort him there."

"You're leaving, Haku," Hinata asked, sadness entering her voice.

"Yes, Hinata-san. As I am no longer required here, I felt it was time for me to leave. I wish you the best. Takeda-san, we should leave now."

"Agreed, it's a long walk."

"Well then, Takeda-kun, when you return, if you are up for it, how about I take you to get lunch? I could help you find a new date."

"I will think on that offer, Ino-san. Hinata-san, congradulations on your wedding." The two men stepped to the side and continued walking.

"...Ino-chan, I can't help but feel I know that man," Hinata said, uncertain about his name.

"Met him before?"

"No, I never met anyone with red hair except that one foul mouth woman that moved to the village a few years ago."

—oo000oo—

"That was close," Naruto breathed out. "I wasn't looking forward to that conversation."

"I didn't care for the one we had myself," Haku told him.

Naruto faced him and said, "Well, the gate is right there. I don't think they could catch up to us..." Naruto accidently bumped into someone right then. "Now. I'm sorry about that, ma'am." Naruto helped her up only for the red haired woman to push him away.

"Watch where you're going to stupid dog screwing bastard," Tayuya shouted as she got up and got a look at him. "What's with the red hair, jackass!? Trying to look like an Uzumaki!?"

"Oh boy," Haku groaned, dropping his head into his hand.

"Look, I'm sorry," Naruto tried to say.

"Big whoopdie fucking do," she said, making Naruto stare in surprise. "Do you have a problem!?"

"...I have a lot of problems right now, thank you very fucking much," Naruto finally snapped. "The least of which is an annoying red hair witch with a bad attitude. Speaking of red hair, are _you_ trying to imitate the Uzumaki, maybe try to suck in some of their reputation like a parasite!? Now I appologized, I'm leaving, so have a good day, be well, and go screw yourself!"

"Here we go," Haku muttered.

—oo000oo—

Hinata was walking home, still confused about that man she met when she saw Sasuke running up to her. "Sasuke-kun?"

"Hinata, I need your help to find someone!"

"Who?"

"He's a little taller than me, red hair tied in a pony tail, wearing a blue kimono and hakama."

"Calls himself Takeda? I just saw him by Yamanaka Flowers, heading for the village gates. He was escorting Haku back to Kirigakure."

"He's probably out of the village by now," Sasuke growled before grabbing her hand and running that way.

"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong," she said as she tried to keep her balance.

"I think that was Naruto," he said, shocking her. "He's our age but he called my brother sempai and if he's been gone for the last ten years, how do they know each other enough for that?"

"That was Naruto-kun...he looked me right in the eyes and congr..."

"Congradulations on your upcoming marriage," Sasuke finished, "he said the same damn thing to me." Hinata got free and the two of them started roof hopping to get to the gates, where they heard a familiar shouting. "I know that voice," Sasuke said and saw Naruto and Tayuya grabbing one another by their collars and about ready to go at it. "Tayuya, thank you," he muttered, landing close to them and being spotted by Haku. "Hey!" They ignored him and kept shouting at one another. "Stop it!" Still no luck. "I said STOP," Sasuke shouted, grabbing their shoulders, only drawing both of their ire.

"What the fuck do you want," the both shouted in his face before Naruto groaned at seeing him and Hinata there now.

"Great, just great," he muttered.

"What I want is Uzumaki Naruto," Sasuke said simpily.

"Well he's dead, weren't you at the funeral," Naruto countered. He let go of Tayuya and turned back to the gate. "So close to getting a clean get away and we tripped over the finish line."

"So that's it," Sasuke demanded. "Hi, how are you doing, I'm not going to tell you that I'm still alive?"

"No, I wasn't," Naruto answered, not looking back to him.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata called, trying to get him to face her. "Where are you really going?"

"...I reported to the Hokage long enough to formalize my banishment from Konohagakure," he said, turning his head just a little.

"No," Hinata whispered. "...Naruto-kun, I'm sorry we hurt you but we didn't mean to!"

"We didn't plan on this happening," Sasuke said.

"None of us planned on a lot of things," Naruto answered. "Need I remind you what we did plan? You planned to kill your brother, remember that? I planned to be Hokage and to live the rest of my life with Hinata. Plans change. I need to leave, before the hounds are summoned."

"...So you won't even look at us one last time," Sasuke asked. "Not even to say goodbye?"

Now Naruto hesitated. "I...said my goodbyes ten years ago, the only thing that's changed is that when I leave through the gate this time, I don't plan on coming back."

"Naruto-kun, please, you could still stay in your home," Hinata protested.

"No, I can't, I really can't. Ask the Hokage, or the Sandiame, or Jiriaya, or Itachi, they know why. Hell, I bet you two probably know why too. Everyone else seems to. Haku, let's go."

"Yes, Naruto-san."

Haku stepped forward but was stopped by Sasuke. "And you were just going to leave like that?"

"I have nothing to explain to you, Uchiha Sasuke."

"Haku, please," Hinata pleaded.

"...Lady Hinata, I served you for ten years and was honored to do so. At the behest of my Lady Terumi Mei and Uzumaki Naruto. I do not blame you for finding love else where when Naruto was declared dead. But the night his funeral service was to be held? And then the very next day you are a once again with the Hyuuga's, the ones that cast you out in the first place. If I do not leave now, then I _will_ be summoned back to my village, _right before_ your wedding. Something I do not want to see anyway. Good day, Lady Hinata." Haku bowed his head to her a final time, vanished and appeared beside Naruto's side twenty feet away, not looking back as they walked away. Sasuke watched them, trying to find where it went wrong exactly, Hinata started to cry, and Tayuya just took it all in, already planning to inform her master about all this.


	3. Ch 2 A Good Decision

**_Author's Notes: The following is a fan based parody of a fan based parody. Naruto is owned by Kishimoto Masashi and..._**

 ** _RRRAAAGGGHHH!_**

 ** _Tayuaya!? Did you just...force your way through the chapters!?_**

 ** _Shut up Jiroubou, you fat ass! That dick interrupted me last time and now everyone's gonna suffer for it!_**

 ** _Please don't curse out the readers again!_**

 ** _FUCK YOU! And the rest of you,_** ** _Watashi no on'na o..._**

 _Hand slapped over Tayuya's mouth as Jiroubou grabbed her from behind._

 ** _Don't say that say that to our readers! Naruto is published by Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shonen! Please support Naruto with it's official release! Now scroll down before she breaks free! Ah, she just bit my hand!_**

—oo000oo—

 **Chapter 2 Abound**

"You just let the jinchuuriki walk out of the village," Homura demanded, looking to Tsunade along with many of the clan leaders.

Tsunade though wasn't even perterbed enough to set down the cup she was drinking from. Finishing her tea, she set it down and finally acknowledged them and their question. "Yes, yes I did."

"Why, what were you thinking," Hotaru asked. "Why have the hunters not been sent after them!?"

Tsunade made a show of slowly refilling her tea and taking a sip. "That's a good blend, Shizune, please order more. I'm sorry, what was that, Hotaru? Right, right, Namikaze... Sorry, you and your teammates decided against that, nearly forgot. Uzumaki Naruto was stipulated that if his loyalty to the village was to waver, then one of the two agreed upon punishments was to be activated. As Naruto finished the, I wasn't going to have him executed. But since he did tell me that he will never again fight for Konoha, even if it meant the end of the village, I could not allow him back within." Another quick drink. "Of course, there was the possibility of just retiring him and forcing him to remain in the village or just outside it but I particularly did _not_ want order an ANBU team to attack the individual that did the most damage to Akatsuki, you do remember them, yes, while on a couple of occasions fighting multiple members at once. Why, that would be like you, when you were seventeen, having to fight both my grandfather and uncle. Alone. So, tell me, Koharu, do you believe you could have force Uzumaki Naruto to just accept that judgement? Because he was not in a good mood when he told me. I doubt he would have accepted it."

Tsunade hid a smirk at the older woman's silence with her tea cup. "And then of course there would be all the security measures that we would have to put in place to ensure that he stayed nice and calm even if he had to accept. Seals needed to control his chakra, guards to watch his movements twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, for the rest of his 'unnatural life' I think someone put it, wasn't it one of the individuals in this room now?" None of the clan heads, elders, or Danzou said anything. "I'll have to find out who said that. Regardless... Where was I Shizune?"

"I believe you were at seven days a week," the young woman answered with a smile.

"Ah yes, thank you Shizune. For the rest of his unnatural life and every little disappearance for more than thirty seconds investigated. And then of course, there would also be when and if there was a serious enough incident to require his temporary reinstatement. Where we would then have to locate him, taking time, unseal the many restraints that control him, taking more time, and then pray for two things, that his time in captivity didn't weaken him and that if it did not, he didn't just turn on us or run away then and there, leaving us to what he felt would be our much deserved fates."

"You could have handed him over to me, I would have restored his loyalty," Shimura Danzou stated.

"You know, I did think of that," Tsunade replied. "And summilarily dismissed it. And not out of sentimentality or some other foolish thing. I know it has been some time since you read the report, Danzou, but please, do try to recall some of the things Uzumaki was trained in at the request of Uchiha Itachi. Including Brainwashing resistance. You know and I know that if Itachi had been in Naruto's place, he would have followed along until he could kill you. And by all reports, Naruto began to emulate Itachi. Now, do you think it would have been a good idea?"

"...Not right away, but if given time..."

"Ah yes, once again we have that same problem, time, it all would have required time. Time to keep an angry, powerful jinchuuriki completely under control. We couldn't even removed the Kyuubi from him because any method would take _time_ and it would not be subtle. People _would_ have noticed. Between the chances of the Kyuubi breaking free, _Naruto_ breaking free, and someone attacking us while we tried to deal with the transfer, I also threw that idea away." Tsunade clasped her hands together and looked to three people. "Hyuuga Hiashi, you wanted him executed. Ten years ago, that was possible, not anymore. Shimura Danzou, you wanted him reprogrammed. Ten years ago, that may have been possible and that may have degraded the seal and threatened us all. Nara Shikaku, you wanted him banished, granted it would be to just outside the village. That example was tried twice by other villages during the Akatsuki incidents. The Jinchuuriki never made it back and both villages suffered major damage. Does anyone disagree with that judgement of the original options?"

"No, Hokage-sama," Shikaku answered.

Tsunade picked her tea back up and took another drink. "And, Koharu, about why the Oinin haven't been sent after Naruto, because we got what individuals in this room wanted. The perfect Jinchuuriki. Jinchuurikis are violent, powerful, hateful of the villages that spawned them, well known for trying to leave and never return, and when they get into fights for their lives, they end up reshaping the landscape. And as the strongest incentive to possibly control Naruto is now engaged to his former best friend, we hold nothing over him. I will not sacrifice a single team, two teams, or the ten teams that it would require to capture Naruto. He spent ten years with our best, cutting his teeth on the worst. Now, that being said, if any in this room truly feels that we _must_ have Uzumaki Naruto and the Kyuubi back, then by all means, you may temporaily withdraw your clan from Konoha, and chase after him. Please note, I am not joking about withdrawing membership from Konohagakure. The resulting battle will be catastrophic, and Konoha will not be held responsible, nor shall any receive support from the village." All of them except one was looking nervous by now.

"Actually, that would be a bit foolish of an idea," Jiriaya said, sitting on the windowsil, smiling.

"Not more good news," Inoichi groaned.

"Oh yes, more good news. If you will recall, that ten years we've been talking about, it goes farther than just fighting and training. We had to constantly avoid the spy networks of enemy and allied nations, Akatsuki, and we had to also stay in contact with my own. Naruto watched, he listened, he learned. He knows what I would do, he knows how to avoid others, and he knows how to use those same spy networks to find out who is trying to find him, where they think he is, and just where _they_ are. Wouldn't even do any good to put him in the 'bingo' books as he is very fond of changing his appearance when the whim strikes him. Had a tattoo on his face for a year, once. Shizune-chan, I think there is a term for this kind of overpowered individual among the civilians, what was it again?"

"Garri Shu, I think."

"Thank you, Shizune-chan."

"You're welcome, Jiriaya-sama."

"Well, there you have it," Tsunade picked back up. "The easiest solution was to just give him what he wanted and sent him on his way, never to return. We'll catch the Kyuubi later and if we need to, we can make it appear that Naruto is still in the village. I honestly don't understand why you're all upset, Hyuuga Hiashi appears completely satisfied with how I handled this."

"I believe that the jinchuuriki returning would only needlessly complicate matters, thus I feel you handled things very well."

"Wouldn't want to have to call off the wedding to the Uchiha, now would we," Jiriaya muttered.

"No, we would not," Hiashi replied.

"Thank you, Hiashi. If there is nothing else, this meeting is ended." Choza opened his mouth to say something. "It may have sounded like a question, trust in that it wasn't. Leave my office, now."

Shizune watched them leave before looking to her master and senior. "Well, I already know that none of that was truly taken into consideration, so how much of the rest was lies?"

"Hmmm, Naruto isn't the perfect jinchuuriki," Jiriaya said with a shrug.

Tsunade sighed and said, "Jiriaya, you've had twenty four hours since you've returned. Tell me what you've learned and it better be good news."

"...The Jinchuuriki from Taki, Fuu by name, has just vanished from her containment and no one can figure out why or who. To make it more confusing, the seals and lock were still in place when they got the alarms. Like she never existed, they can't even find her through the tracking seal they placed on her."

"Let me guess, the Sage?"

"It is the only thing that makes sense, the question is why," Jiriaya stated.

"Naruto didn't tell you?"

"Something was on his mind the entire trip here, and I don't think it was entirely Hyuuga Hinata, but he never said what it was or what they talked about."

Tsunade sighed and said, "I can feel the wrinkles forming already that this is going to cause."

—oo000oo—

"So, Naruto, what do you plan on doing," Haku questioned.

"...I'm thinking about seeing a friend or two, after that, I just go back to what I've been doing for the past ten years, walking around."

"Not planning on joining another village?"

"Nope. I've had enough masters and people deciding my fate," he answered, adding another piece of wood to the fire they sat around.

Haku nodded and was silent for a time but eventually he sighed. "What will you do when people come hunting?"

"They won't."

"Naruto, you hold the Kyuubi, someone will eventually want it and will try to take it."

"It won't do them any good, Haku, the Kyuubi is gone."

"What do you mean?"

Naruto sighed and said, "I might have left something out while at Konoha. The Sage took the Kyuubi, Kurama, from me. The six months was really the time he needed to safely remove the fox from me."

"And if he did that to you..."

"He has probably already started on one of the others. Jiriaya isn't stupid, he'll figure it out that I likely don't have the fox anymore. Until then, that is when someone will be stupid enough to attack us. And while I may not have Kurama anymore," Naruto suddenly clenched a fist, giving off a wave of chakra, "I am more than a match against any that tries. I'm getting some sleep, see you in the morning."

"Naruto, before you do, do you miss him or are you happy he is gone?"

"...Both. Kurama was my friend and I kinda wish he was still here. But the thought that he will never again be imprisoned and used as a dog of war, that he is somewhere safe and happy, that makes me happy for him."

"Hmm, can't say I've ever heard of a Jinchuuriki that was so close to their Bijuu."

"I met one other," Naruto stated. "That's who we're going to see."

—oo000oo—

Of all the places Haku might have thought they would go, Kumogakure was not one of them. Yet here they were three weeks later, in the village at the foot of the mountain Kumo rested on. "...Your friend is up there?"

"Yes."

"...I thought you were under an oath not to go into another village."

"Two things about that," Naruto told him, looking around. "I swore not to enter any village to give information about Konoha, willingly or not. Second, this is not Kumogakure as that is up there. This is the civilian population that can't make the climb up and down all that just to go to the next village. Outskirts, really, and I'm only getting off on a technicality but still."

"So who are we looking for?"

"The one I want in particular is named Yugito, I got some good advice from her a few years back, but it's unlikely that we'll actually find her so I'm just trying to find a ninja I know. ...Like her. Karui!"

A dark skin kunoichi with red hair turned to them and stared at them in confusion before her eyes lit up. "Naruto!?" Running over, she got a closer look at him and smirked. "And here I heard you died. Nice hair."

"Thank you, your's is still awesome, as well."

Karui looked around with a frown on her face. "Where's the pervert?"

"Jiriaya went home, I kept walking."

Karui looked to him curiously but shrugged. "I was about to get something to eat, come and join me. This is?"

"My name is Haku, Lady Karui."

That made her smirk. "I like him, very polite."

—oo000oo—

Sitting in a booth, toying with her chopsticks, Karui sighed. "So the only thing wrong I heard was the news of your death. And the little twit that you turned down a chance to join Kumo for is getting married."

"Probably is by now," Naruto said a bit coldly.

"...Shitty," she said before eating another piece of tempura. "Fortunately, you made a very good impression on Ē-sama when you were hear a few years ago. You'll be a chunin of Kumo before the end of the day."

"No, I think I've had enough masters in my life. About time I started deciding what I'll do myself."

"Then why are you here," she asked.

"Returning a favor. I have some news I need to tell Yugito. Let her know something is coming her way."

"What is it, is the village in danger?"

"No. Have you heard about Fuu, the jinchuuriki in Taki vanishing?"

"...Not officially. Some rumors."

"Well, it isn't rumors and I know where, how, and why."

Karui slapped her hand to her forehead. "Great, you just dealt with Akatsuki and already another is trying to grab up the jinchuuriki?"

"Not exactly. That is why I need to talk to Yugito."

"Alright, I'll bring her to the seal boundary so you two can talk across it." Karui was refering to a seal that would raise an alert whenever one with Bijuu chakra crossed it, entering or leaving.

"It won't matter anymore."

"What do you mean it won't?"

"Its complicated. I'll explain it to Yugito, but just trust that I won't set off the alarm."

Karui frowned, not liking this. She was missing something big, she could feel it.

Walking up the mountain a ways, Haku fell in step with Karui. "So, how do you know Naruto? I would've thought he wouldn't want anything to do with Kumo before now."

"Naruto and his senseis stopped by the village three, four years ago. They weren't even supposed to come up to the village itself. But Naruto went to find that pervert and... Well, in the end, he had to outrun the Raikage himself."

"I've heard stories about how fast he is," Haku stated.

"Yeah, Naruto was trying to run away but the Raikage was gaining. So, the idiot used the Shunshin to increase his speed." Haku winced at that. The Shunshin worked by releasing all your kinetic energy all at once but in a safe and harmless way when used from a still position. Standing, crouching, any which way so long as you were motionless. But when you are moving and your muscles already in an action, it could cause strains, tears, or even breaks from overstretching. And once that happened, you would jerk to correct it and the process could get worse very fast. If Naruto had been in a full sprint already when he did it, then he should have broken every bone in his body. Though...he did remember Zabuza-sama telling him about Shunshin no Shisui who had mastered the technique for the use in combat... And Naruto just spent the last decade with the man's best friend. But the mind couldn't cope with that kind of speed in an intense situation...could it? Even Haku at his fastest always had a plan of action for every minor thing.

"...Naruto might actually be the strongest out there."

"Thank you, I appreciate the thought," Naruto interrupted. "But no, that title did, still does, and likely always will belong to Itachi-sempai."

Before long, Karui stopped, glanced to Naruto and then a seal on her wrist. With a wince, she led them across and to her surprise, the seal didn't activate. "You really didn't," Karui muttered, wondering what kind of seal he was using and why.

Naruto glanced at her but didn't say anything. Before long, she led him to a training field where parts of the rocks had been glassed. "Yugito," he called.

She turned around and stared at him. "Do I know you?"

"Of course you do," Karui chided. "This is Uzumaki Naruto."

"No, it's not."

"I know his hair makes him look different but it is!"

"Naruto-kun is a jinchuuriki. I have no such feeling from this person."

"Actually, you both are right," Naruto inserted. "I am Naruto. And I no longer possess the Kyuubi." Karui snapped her head to stare at him in shock. "Perhaps I can convince you, Yugito-san? Then I can tell you why."

"...Go ahead and try."

"When I got here the first time, the problems was caused by Ero-sennin peeping on you in the hotspring, the one south by southwest of the Raikage's office."

"Confirmed security leakage to Kusa two weeks later," she dismissed.

"You were wearing a two piece bikini for it, blue with an orange claw coming down the left shoulder."

"...That was my favorite, it wouldn't be a hard guess."

Naruto smirked at the one he was about to say. "And all of it was actually a plan by Ero-sennin, Kakashi, and Itachi-sempai, who let it known to the Raikage that a fast, dangerous individual would be peeking on the springs, trying to spot strong individuals at their weakest. Something they apologized for. I kicked Ero-sennin in the crotch for that and held him up so you could do the same."

"...Sigh. Alright, let's say I believe you. Who used the forbidden jutsu to revive you after the Kyuubi was removed?"

"No one, I didn't die."

"And now I'm skeptical again."

"Yugito-san, I am truly who I say. I won't try to convince you further. I just came to warn you of something."

"And that is?"

"That eventually, what happened to me, what _is_ happened to Fuu from Taki, will happen to you."

"And just what is that, exactly?"

"After my battle with Akatsuki, I was taken by the Sage of Six Paths. He decided he was taking back the Bijuu. When I awoke, I was without the Kyuubi."

"And I'm suppose to believe that?"

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," Naruto replied, shaking his head. "I'm just telling you so you aren't surprised when it happens to you. And I doubt, what with all the preparation that Taki took, you could do something to stop it."

"...Did you warn anyone else of this?"

"No," Naruto replied.

"Are you going to warn anyone else?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I want the Bijuu free and out of this cycle. If I warn anyone else, they'll just try to stop it. I told you only because, like me and Kurama, you're friends with Matatabi." Now she looked surprised.

"You... That name. You're really him."

"I am. And I know you'll tell the Raikage, and people will discuss if I'm lying, or if I'm delusional. They'll wonder if I'm being controlled or have been brainwashed. Anything but accept what I have told you."

"How will it happen?"

"He'll just take you, snatch you up without so much as a 'if you please', and judging by Taki, I have to assume at the very least it is a space time jutsu that is unlikely to be blockable, seals or not. No one will be able to find you. And as I don't remember anything aside from our one conversation with one another over six months, I would say the same will apply to you."

"And if I said I didn't want to lose Matatabi?"

"I said the same about Kurama. He has made his decision, Yugito-san. Treasure what time you have left, it could be half a year to several years but he will come for you and then he'll just drop you back where ever you were once you recovered."

"I see... Thank you for telling me, Naruto."

Naruto nodded and turned around. "...We crossed the continent so you could have a five minute long conversation," Haku wondered. "That must have been an incredible favor you owed her."

"Eventually, Kurama went from being my enemy to being my friend, Haku. Yugito-san is the one mostly responsible for it."

"Hey, Naruto, wait up!" Karui ran up to them and stood beside him. "You're not just going to leave already, are you?"

"I've pushed the terms of my banishment as far as I can without completely disobeying them," Naruto told her.

"Big deal, Konoha threw you away so you owe them nothing."

"Yeah, I remember the Raikage saying just about the same thing," Naruto said with a smirk.

Karui scratched her hair before saying, "At least spend the night, you don't have to go off into the world alone."

"He is not alone, Lady Karui," Haku stated. "I will travel with my friend for as long as he wants me to."

"...You know, that doesn't sound so bad. Walking around where ever you want."

"The years felt hard without ever seeing Hinata but I did prefer them to being locked away in a village, seeing nothing, even had I been a more normal person."

"...Naruto, Kumo spies have found that the wedding between Hinata and Sasuke was delayed. Seems the bride to be is inconsolable the week of."

"Heh, Kumo is still keeping an eye on the Hyuuga. Shocking. Sigh, I don't care, Karui. Its no longer my concern."

"Good. Then you're joining me for dinner tonight."

Both Haku and Naruto froze and stared at her. "What?"

"Dinner, tonight, that meal before people sleep."

"Uh...Why?"

"Two reasons, you are a pretty cool guy, Naruto. The second reason is that if the Raikage found out I didn't do all I could to convince you to stay, even without the Kyuubi, then I might just get banished."

That made Naruto laugh, despite himself. "...Miyabi Kyu still a good restaurant?"

"Yes. Head to that hotel you stayed at last time, I'll have a suit sent."

"I'm growing a bit fond of kimonos and hakamas," Naruto told her.

Karui nodded. "Six thirty, be ready and in the lobby or I'll hurt you."

Watching her leave, Haku faced Naruto. "...How many girls did you meet on your travels that you had to turned down because of Lady Hinata?"

"...I don't know if I should answer that one."

—oo000oo—

Raikage Ē listened carefully to what Yugito and Karui told him with a frown. Despite what Naruto assumed, he believed the young man did in fact go through what he said. The prison that held Fuu was an incredible one, both to get into and break out and Uchiha Itachi was not easily decieved, he believed Naruto dead and gone. Ē had a copy of the report on his desk. "Should we do anything, Ē-sama," Yugito asked.

"About the Sage or about Naruto?"

"...Both, I suppose."

"We will look into a way to possibly block his attempts to take either you or my brother. As for Naruto, Karui's plan is a good start. I doubt it will be enough but I have another idea if it isn't."

Mabui, the Raikage's assitant, cleared her throat and said, "Ē-sama, why not just force him to stay? He is already here."

"Mabui, there is no reason to. I already knew the Uchiha was getting close to that little Hyuuga when he was here before, just as I knew the boy would survive Akatsuki. He has no home, no one to give loyalty to. We don't need to strong arm this, that would be a waste and only drive him off. Need I remind you he won our last race?"

"I suppose but surely not even he could hold out against the entire might of Kumo in our own home."

"Possibly but that boy is something else. Fortune may favor the bold but what could be bolder than walking right into Kumogakure? I'll respect his wishes in trying to force him to cooperate. When things get tense for him, I know he will remember that."

"You mean when the world at large knows he is free," Yugito stated. "Between all those that would want him for his 'bijuu', his skill, and his relation to the Hokages, he will become a most hunted individual."

"And then he will come here out of safety for himself and to deny the others... Or to Yuki no Kuni. Mabui, try to find out if he is still close to their daimyō."

"Yes, Ē-sama."

"What I find most curious is the Mizukage's servant travelling with him," Ē muttered. "I understand why he left but to travel with Uzumaki instead of returning to his village... I wonder if the boy also knew that Uzumaki would survive. Or maybe this is Mei's way of getting close to him? Karui, after your dinner tonight, report back to me for your new assignment. Dismissed." When the two went to their task and Yugito to be alone with her thoughts, Ē sighed. "And the world changes again."

—oo000oo—

Standing in a dark blue kimono and hakama, Naruto waited in the lobby of the hotel, talking to Haku. "So, even knowing this is an attempt to win you over to Kumo by wooing you, you're still doing this?"

"Partly an attempt and yes I am. I thought Karui rather cool myself when I first met her. And as I've never done this whole dating thing, I suppose I should now."

"Should I keep my expectations low," Karui asked as she walked up to them. The two men looked to her and found they weren't the only ones staring. Karui had decided on a blue cheongsam dress with orange scrollwork of a dragon on her left shoulder, cut to show off a little leg. "You look good Naruto, I see the kimono I sent fit."

"Rather well, too," he replied. "And you also look good, Karui. Shall we?"

"Yes." Resting her hand on his offered arm, she turned him for the door.

"See you later on in the evening, Haku."

"Yeah... Am I going to see this more as Naruto meets others he met?"

—oo000oo—

In the morning, Naruto was leading Haku to leave while the older man noticed a smirk on the other's face. "Enjoy the evening?"

"It was acceptable." Haku couldn't help the chuckle he gave. "Surprisingly, Karui actually did very little to try and convince me to stay. Can't complain, it was a good night. Interesting conversation, good food, and a little dancing as well."

"What did you talk about?"

"Things we've done since we last saw one another, what I plan to do, places we've been to, just things."

"What are your plans now?"

Naruto sighed before saying, "I want to find others of the Uzumaki. We can't all be gone. So, we're going to Uzu no Kuni. With some luck, we just might find a family tree from before the destruction. That will at least give us a start point and from there, I have some friends that will make finding them easier. It's just going to take a lot of ryo."

"Kind of curious now. And...is that Lady Karui ahead of us?"

Sure enough, waiting at the gate of the town was Karui, once more in her shinobi attire but without her headband. "That was very rude, Naruto, making a lady wait."

"...Sorry, and good morning Karui. Here to see us off?"

"Actually, no. I'm here to join you." She saw the curious looks and smiled. "The Raikage has given me indefinite leave to travel with you, Naruto. He feels that you will one day have to choose where you shall live and seeing as the Mizukage have already one of her servents here, he should do the same."

"I'm not here to convince Naruto to join Kirigakure. He has made his intentions well known to me not to join any village."

"And I believe you," Karui replied. "Shall we go?"

"...Why not," Naruto said with a shrug, walking by her. "Well, Karui, this should be interesting. After all, an outcast from Konoha, a 'sorta' ninja from Kiri, an active duty ninja from Kumo, just need a nukenin from Iwa and a retired ninja from Suna and we'll have a complete set."

"Why not a nukenin from Suna and retired ninja from Iwa," Karui asked.

"More likely to have my throat slit in my sleep."

"Just because you're related to the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Hokage doesn't mean they want you dead for that, Naruto-san," Haku stated.

"Best not to take the chance none the less."

"All four," Karui asked, a little surprised.

"Through marriage for the Shodai and Nidiame," Naruto explain. "Not actually related, my great, great...great aunt was the Shodai's wife. Or was it four greats? Course that does make the Godiame my cousin. Hmm, the Shodai is Tsunade's grandfather, who is old enough to be my grandmother, that means..." Naruto trailed off in mutters.

"...What do you know..."

—oo000oo—

"No," Naruto stated, four days later.

"Please," Karui pleaded.

"No."

"We're already here!"

"No."

"Naruto, we are literally in _Yugakure_ , Ikusa o Wasureta Sato, the greatest hot spring resort in the entire..."

"No."

"WHY NOT!?"

"Because it is barely ten in the morning, Karui," Naruto replied, motioning to the sun. "We could get another forty or fifty miles in today before the sun sets and we've only been walking for two hours."

"But you said there was no real hurry!"

"Maybe but I want to get there some time this year. Besides, Yugakure isn't _that_ great a hot spring resort. We more fond of one over in Tetsu no Kuni..."

Karui grabbed Naruto's collar with a snarl. "You bastard! You've been here before and you won't stop so we could experience it!?"

"Karui, we already spent the night at a hot spring two nights ago," Naruto sighed. Her grip only tightened. "...If Haku agrees with you, I'll stop. If not, we keep moving."

"Oh, he agrees, if he knows what's good for him."

Haku though did not look perturbed. "Lady Karui, threatening me will not sway me to your side. Now, that being said, we _are_ here. A day or so to relax some will not hurt us. There is no rush. I believe I read about a good inn on the east side."

Naruto sighed once more as he grabbed their shoulders and pulled them west. "And I know a better one." Leading them through the streets, seeing hotels that shouted that they were worth every ryo spent, Naruto came to a stop in front of a rather plain looking hotel.

"What is this," Karui demanded. "I was looking forward to spending time in the lap of luxery!"

"Those are the tourist traps," Naruto explained. "This is the real deal." Naruto stepped to the door and walked on in, looking very respectful to the woman in the den. "Anzu-san, it is most good to see you once more," he said with a bow of his head.

"Menma-kun, its so good to see you again," the woman said, walking over and hugging him before kissing his cheek. "Did you come to Yugakure just to visit us?"

"No, we were passing through. I was planning on just resupplying and stopping by for lunch before heading on but my companions have already overwritten that idea."

"As well they should," Anzu said happily. She faced the two and Haku had to admit, she appeared the very image of an inn mistress. Long purple hair tied in a top knot that hung down to her waist and she wore a white and purple kimono and hakama. "Hello, welcome to Hana-Onsen Inn. I must say you are better company for Menma-kun than the last group that stayed here with him. _He_ isn't here, is he?"

"Of course not, Anzu-san, you know he only comes when he truly has to," Naruto dismissed. "Allow me to introduce my companions, this Yuki Haku and Yotsuki Karui, from Mizu no kuni and Kaminari no kuni respectively. Haku, Karui, this is Hana Anzu, mistress of this inn."

"It is an honor, Lady Anzu. Naruto said that this is the best choice for staying the night," Haku greeted.

"He also didn't say anything about stopping for lunch," Karui said, glaring at the young man.

"That is only because he didn't say anything," Anzu offered. "Menma-kun knows that I would be most upset if he came through and didn't visit. Don't you?"

For a moment, the shadow of a scary mask appeared over her shoulder but Naruto answered before it could form. "Quite. Is Heero here?"

"Oh yes, he is with a customer but I'm sure he would be most happy to see you." She led them down a hall and knocked on a door. "Heero, Menma-kun is here." Opening the door, the three young adults saw a man with white hair and haori sitting behind a desk. He, like his wife, appeared in his late twenties to early thirties.

"Well now, Menma-kun, I didn't expect to see you here," the man said, standing and looking to his guest. "One moment sir, a friend."

The man, wearing a black kimono, looked around and Naruto stopped smiling. "I would rather you greet him after our conversation, Heero-san," the Hyuuga clan member muttered. He then frowned as he saw Haku.

"There is truly nothing to talk about, Sato-san, I will not withdraw the annex against your clan within Yu no kuni. Certainly not when your clan head thinks so little of me as to send a messenger instead of making the trip himself." Heero then noticed that Hyuuga Sato was no longer paying attention, his focus was solely on the three.

"Yuki Haku... That would make you Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto bowed his head in acknowledgment and the man started to enter a juuken stance. Only to stop when Anzu held a chokuto to his throat, surprising Haku, Karui, and Sato in her speed. "You welcome this...person in your inn but deny the Hyuuag Clan?"

"There is no violence in all of Yugakure, it is especially prohibited with Hana-Onsen Inn. And as I am fond of little Menma-kun, I don't think you will be welcome here for much longer."

"Do you know who he is? His name isn't Menma, it is..."

"Uzumaki Naruto, former shinobi of Konohagakure," Heero stated. "He accepted banishment for himself almost four weeks ago. We know exactly who he is, I just think he looks more like the name he originally introduced himself as. Leave Yugakure, now. It is a long trip to Konoha from here after all."

"No need to throw him out like so," Naruto intervened. "I would be happy to pay for his stay for the night. In the stables." Sato didn't look amused by that.

"I shall leave now, I no longer wish to converse with any of you." Hyuuga Sato straightened himself out and walked to the door, being escorted out by Anzu.

"Oh, Sato-san," Naruto stalled, getting him to look to him. "I have a message for Hyuuga Hiashi from Terumi Mei. I didn't see him before so you can deliver it for me. Terumi Mei sends her love." Naruto smirked at seeing the tightening of the man's stance at that. When he was gone, Naruto said, "Karui, I'm feeling much better about staying. Let's spend two nights here."

"Yes," the woman from Kumo cheered.

"Now, Menma-kun, have you informed your friends the list of prohibited activities within Hana-Onsen," Heero asked.

"Not yet, I was debating if I was going to take that pleasure from Anzu-san."

—oo000oo—

 ** _Author's Notes: I am going to put in an almost painful punny plot device later. You are forwarned. Now let me make this clear because apparently it wasn't before. This is not a Naruhina. There may be forgiveness later but it will never be Naruto walking down the aisle with Hinata. I don't know if I'll ever actually hook Naruto up with anyone. I'm leaning to a few but they aren't written in stone. A few in sand, one or two in gravel, but no stone._**


	4. Ch 3 Freedom

**_Author's Notes: The following is a fan based parody of a fan based parody. Naruto is owned by Kishimoto Masashi. Lord knows that if I had anything to do with it, I certainly wouldn't have been killed by that androgynous Hyuuga pretty boy. Still, a game over is a game over. Fortunately, the internet comes with infinite lives. Jiroubou, Tayuya still locked up over there and gagged?_**

 ** _That webbing still has her, Kidomaru!_**

 ** _MASHARDSERS! LL HULL WHU!_**

 ** _Oh, good. ...Where was I?_**

 ** _Legal mumbo jumbo._**

 ** _Right, right. Support the official release and go write some smutty fanfic, I guess. On to the next level!_**

—oo000oo—

Chapter 3 Freedom

Having enjoyed a good meal, Naruto left Karui and Haku to relax while he went to see his friend. Tapping on the door, Naruto waited to be invited in. "Enter, Menma-kun."

Naruto did and sat down across from Heero, taking the offered cup. "Going to have to come up with a new alias now that this one is compromised. Natas?"

"Nah... Arashi."

"That sounds good." Usual procedure is to use the new name when he was no longer around to keep it from being tied to him. "So, Menma-kun, what really brought you here?"

"I need to get some ryo."

"...Surely you know to keep some on you by now," Heero muttered.

"I do and I do have it. But for what I plan, it isn't enough."

Heero tilted his head and said, "You have me intrigued. I never thought you would actually go into the espionage field."

"I don't, I just need use of it for a time. I'm trying to find a group of people, Heero, a group that has been in hiding for forty years. You know that won't be easy."

"...Why Menma-kun, are you implying that you are going to use the collective spy networks around the continent to find them?"

"I would never imply that, Heero-san. Such a thing is highly illegal and even if it wasn't, it leaves the owners of said networks wanting my head."

Heero just smiled. "Well, I suppose I could come up with something, especially if I knew where you were headed."

"Out to sea, need to drop off Haku in Kirigakure eventually."

"Yes, yes..." The two watched each other closely, trying to see what the other was thinking. Such is the relationship of ninja. "Well, if the ocean is your destination, then I do believe that there may be a prosperous bandit camp along the way. Seventy five minutes east, eighteen minutes south from the border in Hi no Kuni."

"Thank you Heero," Naruto said with a bow of his head.

"Now about the fee, for the information and the stay..." Naruto was already ahead of him, he cut his palm and bled into the cup he was given. "...Three ounces of Uzumaki blood, worth a small hill of gold from those in the medical arts and alchemist." Naruto licked his palm and saw his chakra trying to fill the place of Kurama's. Trying, it was slow going.

"I trust that is enough to buy your silence as well?"

"And then some."

"Then I would like you to get a few things for me."

"What?"

"Rings. And I want them to look like this." Naruto placed a design on the desk. "There is a plentiful metal I have in mind for it. A certain mine in Tetsu no Kuni has found almost more of it than they know what to do with."

"Titan ore, I know it. I could have these to you in a few days...at least, without this part. Are you sure?"

"Yes. I need at least ten but no more than twenty."

"Why?" Naruto just smirked. "Might take me a week or more just to find someone that can craft it as you want. Another week to get them."

"I have nothing but time. I'll send you a message in two weeks on where you can ship the rings. And Heero... That ring you helped me pick out..."

"I know, you gave it away."

"...What am I thinking now?" That got the elder man to laugh.

—oo000oo—

"So, Naruto, who are these people, really," Karui asked later in the afternoon, the three of them sitting in the onsen, relaxed. "Clearly if the Hyuuga were trying to get him to let them do business within Yu no Kuni once more, they are more than just inn keepers."

"Clearly," Haku agreed. "But I instead question if Naruto can tell us at all without us having to be killed in return."

"No, no," Naruto corrected. "Heero and Anzu are not part of anyone's information network. They are information brokers with...ties to things."

"Wait, you don't mean the Kage Group, do you," Karui questioned.

"Why yes, yes I do."

"Huh, and here I just thought her a pleasant inn mistress...with a sword hidden in her broom."

"When Yugakure decided to give up being a military village, there were hundreds of shinobi that took up different vocations," Naruto explained. "Anzu-san's family had always owned this hotspring, it just needed some work in restoring it to a proper inn. Then the other inns started going glamorious and expensive while they didn't have the funds to do it. So, they didn't. Frankly, I'm glad for it. All that gold and money makes me sick. And others agree, they bring in enough money to survive with no problem. They just find it boring during the off peak months."

"Wait, are you telling me that the head of the multination wide information broker network, the ones that with a whisper can start a war or end it, do it because they are bored," Karui demanded.

"No, of course not, that would be just silly. They're the regional heads." Haku took it with a shrug, Karui took a moment to chuckle instead. " So, what do you think is the chance that a Hyuuga ambush is waiting for us outside the city?"

"The Hyuugas will keep their hands clean of that," Haku stated. "If anything, they will have hired mercenaries and possibly a team of nukenin under an allias. I am actually more concerned about if we should even be talking about _things_ here. Walls have ears afterall."

"Oh relax, just don't let anything too juicy slip and we'll be fine," Naruto told him. "They're good people, they won't dig it out of us. They'll listen but that's all."

"That would be correct," Anzu stated as she walked in, dressed in a robe and holding a tray filled with a clear glass bottle and cups. "Menma-kun, I brought some drinks. Would you care for some?"

"I don't get drunk," he said with a smirk.

"That is good, this is a sipping liquor. It's called...Scotch. Very strange on the tongue to say and drink but it isn't bad, I feel."

"So it's one of those foreign drinks," Naruto stated as Anzu poured the drink into the four glasses. Naruto moved over, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around himself as he got out of the water, and took the offered glass. Sniffing it first, he pulled back at the potent nose it had. "Smells powerful."

"That it is," Anzu said, taking a sip from her glass...before Naruto exchanged his for her's. "Why Menma-kun, its like you don't trust me."

"I do trust you, Anzu-san," Naruto replied. "Old habits just die hard. Please, you were going to inform my friends of the prohibited activities within Hana Onsen, correct?"

"That I was," she replied, easing herself into the water with him. "To begin with, there is no fighting within the Inn. Second, the rooms you rent are the rooms you use. The three of you has a three room accommodations which means that no one shall be sharing a bed with anyone. Third, this is an onsen, not a love hotel. There shall be no 'illicit' activities in the water. Fourth, when a meal is ready, you are all expected to be there, or you will warn me before hand that you shall not be. Lastly, that room my husband was in shall not be entered unless invited in. You are guest, that room is for clients. Am I understood by all?"

"Of course, Anzu-san," Naruto said, leaning against a rock with his drink in hand and his eyes closed.

"Yes, Lady Anzu," Haku answered, bowing his head.

"Got it," Karui replied, taking her drink and trying a swallow. "Wow..."

"Yes, it does have quite the kick," Anzu said, covering her mouth as she chuckled. "I have seen some take a single drink before spitting it and the contents of their stomachs up. Granted, those individuals usually had more to drink before hand. Now please, enjoy your stay here in Hana-Onsen and relax." Settling herself in a relaxed position, she enjoyed the afternoon air.

—oo000oo—

Darkness had long since set in and most of those within Hana-Onsen were already asleep. Most. A certain kunoichi from Kumogakure slid open the door to her room before looking into the common room they shared. Casting about, Karui stepped through, wearing an oversized tee shirt and holding a pillow. Taking a step, she listened carefully for any indication that someone else was awake. Another step... **_Crick._** Karui crouched down, pressed against the wall, almost invisible in the darkness. Nothing. Passing Haku's room, she krept closer to the door to Naruto's. Inching up beside it and flicking her wrist, she now held a ninja tool, the mix between a flat blade and a pick. Starting at the top of the seam, she drew it down slowly. The tool suddenly felt resistance only twelve centimeters down, something was on the other side of the door but wasn't part of the frame. Careful probing found it was paper so she pulled back the tool and held a finger close to it. Gently easing chakra through the crack, she caressed it softer than a lover. When she was sure it was only tape and not a seal, possibly a decoy, she put her tool back through and cut it. Naruto was going to know she entered anyway.

Continuing down, Karui came to the door lock. Again, she pulled back and used her chakra to determine there was nothing there beyond the mechanism. A quick flick of the tool and the lock was undone, having already practiced on her own door to familiarize herself with it. Down she traveled until just before the end, she found more paper. This time though, she could instantly tell it wasn't the same as tape. Fairly certain of what it was, she still used her chakra to probe it. She could instantly feel there was a seal there. However, she was familiar with this seal, it was a common and well used one. When placed on an entry point, say the seam of a door, and activated, the seal did nothing until the paper was broke. It instantly alerted the one that activated it, even forcing them awake if they were asleep. Naruto had probably placed these on his windows as well. And while it was almost impractically easy to disarm them, you could do that only if you touched them, by pulling them off. Which she couldn't from the outside. Exactly why they were used.

Easing back, Karui removed the tool and stood from her crouch. Taking a deep breath, she returned the tool to where it had been hidden and readied herself. One last glance around and... Jerking the door open, she raised that pillow and threw it at Naruto's head before slamming the door shut once again and turned for her room. "Oh dear, and here I thought I was going to have to remind you that such activities were forbidden," Anzu said, surprising Karui that the woman somehow snuck up behind her and had her sword ready to help her discipline the young woman.

"Karui!" Naruto pulled the door open and almost ran right into Karui's back. "...Hello."

"Naruto, someone snuck into our room," Karui said as she spun around. "They tried to pants me!"

"...Clearly," he muttered. "Evening Anzu-san. You weren't planning anything with that sword, were you?"

"Sword? What sword? I'm just an inn keeper, why would I be up in the middle of the night, holding a sword?" Sure enough, when next the young adults looked down, they only saw her broom. "I was looking for the person that snuck into your room, Menma-kun."

"Uh-huh. Well, best of luck finding them, Anzu-san, I leave my safety in your capable hands." Stepping back into his room, Naruto shut the door, opened it once again and handed the pillow to Karui. "As I don't need a second pillow." Then he shut the door once again and the hiss of entry being sealed filled the air for a moment.

"...Young lady, I thought for sure that you were going to try and have your way with Menma-kun at some point."

"What ever gave you that idea," Karui dismissed. "Not like I thought Naruto looked good standing there in his boxers."

"...Yeah, whatever was I thinking. Well then, good night."

Karui watched her go before smirking and eased herself to Naruto's door again. As silent as death itself, she released the lock and was about to try and throw the pillow at Naruto's head once more when it was thrown open and a pillow hit Karui instead, knocking her on her back. "Maturity, never heard of it," Naruto said, taking his pillow back and shutting the door again.

—oo000oo—

"Hello Anzu-chan, thanks for contacting me," a man said, walking into the inn the next afternoon.

"Think nothing of it, scum-san," she stated, her kind words not reaching her eyes. "You _will_ pay greatly for this, afterall. Menma-kun is this way." Anzu led the man to the common room where Naruto was relaxing and having some tea. "Remember, Scum-san, you will pay, no matter how this conversation turns out for you. Especially if Menma-kun becomes upset with us."

"He understands the game," the man said before walking in. "Naruto."

The red head sighed as he dropped his head, not really surprised. "Jiriaya. How did you know?"

"You were always fond of the two of them," Jiriaya stated. "It wasn't that hard to think that you would show eventually. Had to promise them a favor just to get them to agree to tell me when you showed up. I just didn't think you would have a Kumo nin with you when you did. A kunoichi at that."

"Yeah, the Raikage wants her to woo me over to Kumogakure. Told me that herself too. You know, I'm kinda glad you're here, there is something I want to ask you. But...you go first."

"Don't mind if I do," Jiriaya replied, sitting down. "So...I might be able to have the Council resend the order of Banishment. No restraints, Naruto, no lies, from now on everything will be up front with you. I even have your inheritance to give to you."

Naruto palmed his face and shook his head. "Jiriaya, I don't think I would've given a damn what the Council said about, banishment or not. I certainly don't now if they decide I can return. I'm the one that made the decision to leave, not them."

"Yeah, I know," the elder man said tiredly. "I was just hoping, though. I just...don't want my last apprentice not even allowed into his own village is all."

"It was never mine, Jiriaya, I see that now. I may have been born there, and I may have been trained there but that no more makes it my home than this inn." Naruto took a drink and was quiet a moment. "The fifth or sixth year, that was when I realized I was thinking something wrong. You don't get respected because you're the Hokage, you're Hokage because you're respected. And in that, my dream flew farther away. Coming back and you telling me the truth, that only made me understand that it was out of reach to begin with. Even with everything we did for them, to keep them and their home safe, not just fighting Akatsuki either, Kakashi got an all but ignored grave, you got a respected marker with no visitors. And...do I really need to tell you what I got?"

"You got nothing," Jiriaya stated. "You _had_ a stone next to your parents but then someone broke it."

Naruto just stared at him, not even upset. "Ten years away and still some of them hated me. Even as they celebrated my father's sacrifice. I can't call a place like that home."

"Not everyone hates you, Naruto," Jiriaya tried to convince. "Time away has healed a lot of wounds."

"Jiriaya, it doesn't matter anymore. It is done."

"...Stubborn like your mother, you are. Here." Jiriaya set a scroll on the table. "This is the most of your inheritance. Your parents had a house and land and everything that was inside is in that scroll."

Naruto slowly took it and looked it over a bit before grabbing the wooden grip on both ends and pulling it apart. One end came off and Naruto inspected the seal there in. "You're getting predictable, Jiriaya. A tracking seal in such an obvious place?" Naruto was sure there were others so for now, he pulled out a cloth with a seal sewn into it and wrapped the scroll before putting it in his bag. Jiriaya instantly lost connection with the seals when the cloth was wrapped around it.

"We trained you too well, gaki," Jiriaya muttered with a smirk. "I'm still going to try and get it changed to a travelling permit like I have and Tsunade had. That way you can come home and see that house. You might just like it."

"Heh, scorch the lands and salt the earth."

"Not even going to let me have that little a hope?"

"What did you expect? A house I never lived in within a village I don't belong in is not going to change my mind, Jiriaya. So...sell it, burn it, give it away. I'm not going to use it. Ever. Actually, give it to Itachi. Under the condition that if he lives there, Sasuke doesn't."

Jiriaya sighed, more or less expecting this but still hoping it wasn't coming. "...Tsunade wants to know if you know why Fuu, the Jinchuuriki from Taki, has gone missing."

"...I do."

"Mind telling?"

"Yes I do."

"He's taking them, isn't he? Did he already take the Fox?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"He did." Jiriaya frowned as he stated this. Even with the reason for it gone, Naruto was sure they would still hate him. Or is it... "Your turn Naruto. You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"I did... Did you get close to Uzumaki Naruto?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"The kind that matters. Did you get close to Uzumaki Naruto or did you get close to the son of Namikaze Minato?"

Jiriaya blinked a moment, unsure what to say. "What brought this on?"

"Sasuke. I haven't just been walking around, Jiriaya. I've been thinking. About my mistakes and the right choices that still turned out wrong. I asked Sasuke to look after Hinata as my friend. But looking back, at every interaction, not once did either of us say we were friends. We were barely tolerated allies. I might have ignored it before but if Sasuke hadn't pushed me like he did, I'm not sure I would have lost control and did that. So, I analyzed _every_ relationship I had." He touched his index finger, one. "They...hate me because of Kurama. Nothing about me, though at times I didn't help it, every last one of those people hated Kurama." His middle finger, two. "My classmates, they hated me because their parents hated me." His right finger, three. "Kakashi, he never paid any real attention to me until he was forced to with our mission. I'm not saying he hated me, I'm saying that he didn't _care_ , not that I was the son of his sensei nor that I was the jinchuuriki. I can't ask him if he even wanted me around but I would." His pinky, four. "The Old Man. Even with everything I did, he was always there. I want to think it was because he liked me. Yet he did things for me before even I knew who I was. So at least part of it was because I am the son of his successor." His thumb, five. "And you. I know that you were supposed to be my godfather, Jiriaya. And I never saw you until everything went to shit. So, I have to ask, if I wasn't the son of Namikaze Minato, would you have even given me the time of day?"

Jiriaya sighed, it was. Naruto wasn't sure they would hate him if they found out the fox was gone. He just doesn't want to be liked though he was no different than when they hated him. "I can't say that who your father was didn't start it off Naruto but surely you don't think that is the only reason."

"Not now," Naruto replied. "And don't mistake this as me being upset, I'm not. I still respect you, Itachi-sempai, and Kakashi. Respect and like. But the number of people that, within the village, like me because of me, is seven. Just seven. Hinata, Ayame, Tuechi, Konohamaru, Udon, Mogi, and Iruka-sensei. I don't want to go back and find out the number of people that will tolerate me because they found out who my father is, or they want their jinchuuriki weapon, or some other reason. Because not one of them know _me_ , want _me_. Sorry Jiriaya, you did too good a job showing me things around the continent. I know things now. Especially how a person _should_ be treated." Naruto was quiet a moment before saying, "I still have Kurama with me." They both knew he was lying, but this way would be easier for Naruto. They would still hate him.

Jiriaya scratched his head, rather unsure what to do now. This wasn't the most thought out plan to begin with and it all went awry almost from the start. "...In that case, let's stop talking about the village and just talk."

"I agree, Ero-sennin," Naruto said happily. "So, now that you're here, you going to join me in just walking around or are you going to go your own way?"

"Sorry, Naruto, even in this time of peace, information is power and I got a feeling you'll be calling out the destinations if I join you." Naruto actually smiled at that.

"Got that right."

"...So, Karui is trying to woo you, huh? Have you slept with her yet?" There it was, that perverted grin of Jiriaya's, Naruto felt better just seeing it. Like they were still on the road a year ago. He almost expected to hear Kakshi giggle as he flipped a page of one of his books and see Itachi off to the side, going through a kata.

"No. I thought about it once or twice, she's a pretty woman and I'm alive after all, but no."

"Naruto, there's no one to save it for now, your first."

"Except for someone that does mean something to me. So my first relationship ended in heartbreak. That doesn't mean I'll just hop into bed with a prostitute or a kunoichi trying to sway me."

"Gaki, you're in your twenties, I think it's time to let it go."

"But I'm no longer a ninja, now am I? I beat the odds, Ero-sennin. I had a ninja career, frankly compared to the achievements of most, a full career, and I got out alive. I think we can afford to take a few things slow now, don't you?"

"...Maybe. I worry, is all."

"You don't have to. You, Itachi, and Kakashi trained me well, turned me into the man I am today. Oh dear, saying that I guess there is something to worry about after all." Both men started laughing at that.

—oo000oo—

A few hours later, Haku and Karui walked into the common room to find Naruto and Jiriaya talking animately, slightly flushed face. "...And that jutsu just exploded in my face," Naruto said with a laugh, standing at the moment with this big grin. "I go flying through the air and land twenty feet away! Sempai was running over, thinking I broke my neck, before I jumped up and shouted 'That was awesome!" Naruto was laughing hard as he saw back down, reminiscing. "I miss those days, where it wasn't all about stopping Akatsuki."

"We did have some fun," Jiriaya agreed. "Oh, we have company, hello."

"Master Jiriaya," Haku said with a bow of his head. "I didn't realize Naruto arranged for you to meet us here."

"He didn't, I just know the gaki," Jiriaya said as he got up. "Hmm." He gave Karui a scrutinizing gaze before grinning. "Not bad, gaki, you could definitely do worse than her! Not enough upstairs for my taste but..."

 ** _SLAP!_**

"I happen to find Karui-chan lovely as she is," Naruto stated, leaning over to look at the man now lying on his back with a handprint covering most of his face.

"Jiriaya, you're still a pig," Karui nearly shouted.

Jiriaya suddenly sat up, legs folded, and still smirking. "Still feisty. She's a good match, gaki, I approve!" Suddenly he pulled out his notebook and started jotting down notes. "Yeah, this is gonna be good, our hero leaves his home in banishment and finds comfort in the arms of a member of an enemy village. I might not even have to add fluff to it to sell it as a romance novel!"

Naruto began to laugh as Karui grabbed a large bamboo folding fan from the wall, folded it up, and swung it at Jiriaya's head again and again. "Actually Haku, I find this a little comforting. No matter how old you get physically, you can still act as young as you feel."

"That's one way to look at this."

"Baka, baka, baka, baka!" Karui stepped back and was about to as if he had enough, before Jiriaya faced her and grinned.

"Harder, Mistress!"

Naruto laughed at the poor girl as she got the most disturbed look on her face. "Eww, eww, eww, I feel so used," Karui almost shouted as she dropped the fan and ran from the room.

"...So, which is it, the alcohol or a pain tolerance from all the beatings from Tsunade?"

"A bit of both," Jiriaya said cheekily. "Haku, you're still in this room so that must mean that you want a drink." He poured a glass and moved it to him. "Drink up, young man."

The young man from Mizu no Kuni shrugged and sat down to join them. This should be entertaining at least.

—oo000oo—

When Jiriaya woke the next day, he wasn't at all surprised t find Naruto and company already gone. Easier that way.

—oo000oo—

In the trees overlooking the camp, Naruto clicked his tongue as he looked over the bandits. "...Forty six, forty seven...forty eight." Watching for any sign of shinobi training, Naruto observed their patterns, seeing a few celebrating a little. Probably a successful raid. Dropping down, Naruto walked back over to Karui and Haku. "I'm going to need you guys to wait here for a bit."

"Why, what's up," Karui asked.

"I believe Naruto-san plans to attack the bandit camp ahead," Haku stated.

"I do. And I'm not asking either of you to help," he stated. Looking back to the camp, he finished with, "And they have just turned down my clone's oh so polite request that they surrender. Too bad."

"Why not," Karui almost demanded.

"Because you only agreed to travel with me, not to become part of the fights I go looking for. No worries, there's only forty six of them." Stepping back and turning around, Naruto paused by a tree to think about how best to do this and figured to just overwhelm them with speed. Pulling out a dagger and a kunai, he crouched down before throwing the kunai so it would land in about the middle of the camp. Karui wondered why before he vanished and a moment later, cries of pain that were quickly silenced were heard.

Naruto appeared in the camp and looked up to see he surprised three of the bandits. As they started to move, Naruto appeared to vanish to their eyes almost right as their throats were slashed. Coming to a standstill meters to the side, Naruto raised a hand and activated the seal he had behind his right ear. The little thing almost instantly caused a headache so he began moving again. When he had killed the three before, his vision had been massively blurred as he moved almost so fast he eyes couldn't properly take in light. That is a drawback of using the Shunshin and why clear line of sight was almost always required. That is what the seal behind his ear was for. It took all of the things he had seen and placed an after-image of them in his mind so that he could still see. It wasn't perfect, if he didn't see something then it was useless, but the problem was almost always solved just by stopping a moment and continuing on. Thirteen seconds after entering the camp, Naruto straightened himself out and deactivated the seal. Glancing around and only seeing bodies, he created several clones and had them begin to police the camp. Usably weapons and armor taken to be sold, gold and ryo taken, and stolen supplies and livestock, if there was an indication of where they were taken from, would be returned. If not, he would bring them with to the next town and sell them as well. No prisoners, fortunately. Either they had some morals or he caught them at an off time. Still, for a group this small and with no shinobi among them, they were rather successful...

Naruto froze and looked around. Too successful. How the hell did they avoid Konoha for so long while within the borders of Hi no Kuni? Making a dozen clones, he had them scatter in all directions looking for patrols, hunting parties, or even another camp. Could there be more? Better send a message to the Hoka...

"Right, not my concern anymore," Naruto grumbled. He'd warn the magistrates of the area and allow them to decide how to handle it. And if he came across the rest of the band, then he would take it into his own hands. "...This is going to take some time to get used to." Seeing as it would be another half hour to go through everything, Naruto started removing the bodies from the main cooking fire and went about preparing lunch.

—oo000oo—

"So, they're likely part of a larger group," Karui questioned as she took a bite of a roasted satsumaimo sweet potato.

"Looks like. Actually looking now, I am starting to see how they avoided being destroyed until now. Probably don't cause enough trouble to draw Konoha's attention nor warrant someone hiring Mizu, Taki, or Kusa to deal with them. Meaning they have to be spread out. Should've kept one alive," Naruto said with a sigh.

"Probably led by a nukenin then," Haku stated. "Someone that's an expert in avoiding too much attention. Zabuza-sama did the same with a team of nukenin, kept them spread out to draw less notice and so that if one group was discovered, no one else was."

"If they become a problem, I'll deal with it," Naruto stated, finishing his meal and taking a drink from his canteen.

"...Naruto," Haku started slowly, glancing around. "I can't help but wonder what happened to you. We are...surrounded by the bodies of men you killed and you just cleared them from around the fire and started cooking."

"...A battle happened, Haku. One I didn't lose but I certainly didn't win." He didn't elaborate, he got up and went to gather the sealing scrolls for the items."

Karui watched him go before taking another bite of her sweet potato. "Guess you didn't hear too much in Konoha. Seeing all this, it's rather easy to tell why he earned the name Naruto of the Bloody Blade."

"I hate that title," one of the passing clones stated.

"I never heard of that," Haku told her.

"He's had it for about four years. Akatsuki named him it, I know for sure but little else. Certainly not the why."

—oo000oo—

Fuu groaned as she pulled herself up from her rack and almost dragged herself to the sink of her cell. She felt worse now than when she went to bed. Splashing water on her face, she looked at her reflection and groaned. Even if she had never drank before, she had seen enough hangovers to know what they looked like and that they weren't pleasant, and that was exactly what she felt and looked like. Seeing that the tray with her breakfast hadn't been placed inside yet, she sat on the rack once more and waited. After nearly a half hour, she got up and moved to the door, hesitating a bit before hitting it. To her immense surprise, the seal that hurt her whenever she touched it didn't activate because it swung open. "Uh..." Tentatively, she leaned out just a little and looked down the hall to see there were no guards. She nearly jumped back, unsure what it was they were planning this time but it scared her. "A trick," she muttered, almost afraid to look out the door. If they caught her out of her cell, they would hurt her for trying to escape. Well, more than they normally did. "It's a trick, a trap, no, no, no, the Warden, he would..." She looked out again, still open, still no guards, before pulling back.

Hunger and fear raged inside her, one wanting to leave, the other to stay. Finally, hunger won out. Slowly, ready to sprint back into the cell, she took a step out. No alarms, no guards coming from their hiding places. Did they just leave while she slept? No, they would never leave their weapon. Coming to the stairs, she slowly climbed up them, her cell the last and deepest of this prison. Still the alarm remained silent, not even the one that senses Bijuu chakra activated. Coming to another floor, she heard some noise and tensed. Slowly stepping forward, Fuu raised her hands to the guard and said, "I surrender, may I eat now?" The man practically screamed bloody murdered as he tried to get away from the 'freed' jinchuuriki. Soon a swarm of guards descended on her, still the alarms were silent.

—oo000oo—

The Warden of the Prison grabbed Fuu by her collar and pulled her bruised face up to his. "For the last time, where were you these last six weeks and what happened to the Shichibi!?"

"I don't know, I swear," she said, wincing as she expected another blow to land.

"Harlok, enough," the voice of the leader of Takigakure, Shibuki, said as he entered. "You have done enough." Fuu almost looked relieved when she heard him. "Fuu, it's been a long time."

"...I couldn't say," she muttered. "Being locked in a cell alone for so long makes it hard to tell how much time has passed or even what is real and what isn't. How long has it been since you had me locked away?"

"That wasn't my choice, Fuu," he said weakly but she only stared, waiting for an answer. "Four years, three and a half months." The young woman wondered if the look of regret on his face was genuine or not. "Fuu, I believe you that you remember and know nothing. In a moment, a specialist will come in here and use a technique to read your mind to confirm it." He waited a moment, hoping she would say something but only received silence. Turning to the door, he said, "Enter," before moving to the side.

A man wearing a blank ceramic mask with his only revealed feature his combed back blond hair entered and walked up to Fuu. "The more you resist, the greater the damage will be," he warned as he grabbed her forehead. The young woman instantly began to wince but tried to stay relaxed and before long, he pulled away. "Nothing. She went to sleep possessing the Shichibi and woke up in her cell without it. No clue to the identity of the one that did it."

Shibuki sighed but nodded. "Thank you. Warden." The man stood at attention at being adressed. "You _will_ see to it that Fuu's wounds are dressed, there will never be a repeat of this, and she will be allowed all the amenities of a loyal Taki shinobi, am I understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do not expect to hold onto her long, as Fuu no longer contains the Seven Tails, there is no longer a reason to keep her here. I will see to it that she is released." As much as Shibuki would have prefered to just release Fuu then and there, the Council of Taki was the one that forced this decision in the first place. He had to get them to agree, which shouldn't be a problem now.

—oo000oo—

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO!?"

"Exactly what we said," the first of the three elders answered. "If it is discovered that our bijuu was taken right from under our noses and then the girl just dropped off without any notice, the village will become a laughing stock."

"Of all the... She has only ever been a loyal ninja to Takigakure," he ground out. "And with this era of peace coming, there is no reason to keep Jinchuuriki anymore!"

"Peace is a temporary condition between wars," the second elder replied. "It will all come crashing down eventually. More over, _when_ we capture the Seven Tails again, we will need a host for it. The girl is already trained."

"...I don't believe this," Shibuki nearly growled. "We are shifting the work our ninja do away from only combat and you don't even believe in it enough to give a single woman a chance!? No. She will be freed or I will see to it that you and yours are ruined," he threatened.

"You would burn up more favors than you have to do that," the last countered.

"Not so many as you think. A single whisper to the right ear and your families shall be nothing. Need I remind you that I have a friendship with the strongest player in the 'alliance'?"

The three frowned as they glanced to one another before the second elder said, "None the less, the girl stays in the prison, under the conditions she previously 'enjoyed'."

Shibuki glowered at them, and was tempted to just have at least one executed. "Then excuse me, I need to speak with Uzumaki or the Mizukage to perform a 'Hiashi'. Set your affairs in order, you won't be welcome in my village before the end of the week."

"Now just wait a..." Shibuki stormed out, ignoring everything else they had to say.

—oo000oo—

Fuu had just been thrown into her cell and the door slammed shut. For the longest time, she had just laid there before dragging herself up to sit against the wall. She wanted to believe that Shibuki would keep his word but she didn't. She was not getting out of here and the one companion she had to make this hell a little better was now gone. Dropping her head to her knees, she sat in despair for a time before she suddenly jerked away, her elbow had been touching the door. Eyes blinking in surprise, she knew that the seal had been activated so why wasn't it hurting her... Unsure of what her eyes showed her, she reached out with a hand and cautiously touched the door once more. Nothing. It only hurts those with Bijuu chakra. She slowly began to smile. If that seal wasn't working then maybe...

Fuu glanced around before focusing on her back, on how the chakra felt when it moved through her body. And slowly, a pair of insect like wings began to take shape. They were unstable, she certainly couldn't fly on them, but she instead focused on the door. She knew of the seals to monitor her, any chakra usage was immediately detected and punished before. But yet...no one came. That smile began to grow. Her chakra control felt terrible right now but if _everything_ went back to how it was then they would take her out once a day to train and stay in shape. Can't have a weapon that was useless afterall.

—oo000oo—

Another day, another time getting thrown into her cell and left there, then her real training continued. Practicing the moves she learned to use with the Seven Tails. It was almost laughter worthy how they thought her nearly helpless right now. Especially as her room became more and more filled with little red and white balls of chakra. "...Can't really call this a Bijuu Dama anymore," she mused as the spheres began to coalesce. This was the easy part, the hard part was refining it into the attack. Though once she perfected this, she would finally escape this hell. Opening her mouth and swallowing the orb, she closed her eyes and tried to force the ball into the right shape within her. So far nothing but it was only a matter of time.

She didn't even hear him open the cell, just him suddenly saying, "Hello Little Bug." The voice made her eyes snap open as she saw _him._ She didn't know his name but she knew his face, his voice, and how he hurt her like no one else had ever. "Our little 'Takikage' is raising hell in trying to get you free. So, before he does, I thought we should have some last fun together," he said cruelly.

Rage, rage like she had only ever known while under the influence of the Seven Tails filled her and that Jinchuuriki Dama slammed into place before demanding to be released. She didn't hesitate, only screamed, "DIE," as twenty years of repressed hatred and anger finally found escape and with it, a quarter of the prison that held her just vanished.

—oo000oo—

The sound of fighting filled his ears as he tied to stay alive. Something that wasn't easy when you were missing an arm and leg and a rebar was stabbed through your chest. He didn't know who attacked them but they couldn't have hit them harder. Many of the prisoners were escaping their cells and were trying to overwhelm what guards remained. Suddenly the sounds of fighting changed to a buzzing and screaming before everything became deathly quiet. Only the sounds of feet stepping closer. "Not how I wanted to find you," said the last voice he wanted to hear right then. Fuu crouched down and almost teasingly touched the rebar before suddenly grabbing it and twisting, getting a groan. "Come now, you could do better than that." She didn't even look up as her red silks suddenly lanced out and killed some people that came running by. "What, nothing to say, 'Lord Warden'?"

"Fuu, you have to understand...

Another jerk of the bar. "I do understand, 'Lord Warden'. Oh, I could never understand anything more than I understand this." Another twist. "...My, doesn't this seem familiar, 'Lord Warden'? Why is that?" He whimpered in pain. "Now I remember. We have done this so many times before. Except...you were in my position and I was in your's. How does it feel, 'Lord Warden'?"

"Fuu, please, I.."

"I don't want to hear your pathetic snivelling, _father_ ," she snapped, holding up her free hand to show it now covered in electricity. "I didn't do all this for whimpers. I did all this to. Hear. You! SCREAM!" She grabbed the bar with that lightning wreathed hand and she got what she wanted.

When finally the destruction was done, Fuu stood outside the burning prison, the bodies of guards and her father impaled on spears, lining the road to the building. "...That was actually relieving. Thousands of ryo would be saved a year on therapy if people just got the chance to finally destroy their demons." She suddenly held out a hand like she was holding a glass, an expression she had seen others do for lost comrades while out in the field. "Lucky Number Seven, where ever you are, I wish you well, I will miss you, and I mean this in the best way possible, I hope we never meet again. And to you, who ever took her from me, I raise one to you as well. Without you, this would never be possible. I owe you my freedom." She wanted to stay and watch the place burn but knew she had to leave quickly. It would only be a matter of time before someone from the village would eventually come and see why they weren't sending reports. It was only for half a heartbeat that she was tempted to go see Shibuki as her wings formed and she took to the air, disappearing into the night sky. "I'm free," she muttered, tears beginning to form as she didn't see the daunting task of exploring her now unknown future, she just knew her past was now just that, the past.

—oo000oo—


End file.
